Disclaimer: I wish that I owned Jack and the Pearl, but I only own this story plot and Angela.
AN: Reviewers rock! And I would like to thank new readers for reviewing this story as well. Of course, my faithful readers are special, too, so I will telepathically send you Jack Sparrow dreams for providing such wonderful reviews. And please read the note at the end! Thanks and happy reading!
Chapter 10: Treasure Hunting and Finding:
Jack's POV:
It had taken him nearly two days to round up his crew and sober them up enough to sail out of Tortuga, but it was finally done. They were now over two days behind Flint and the Red Horizon, but Jack wasn't worried. Well, okay, he was worried, but he knew that the Pearl could easily catch up with his enemy in no time. The Black Pearl was the fastest ship in the Caribbean, after all.
Shifting his feet as he steered the Pearl towards Seagull Island, Jack couldn't help but think about what Flint might be doing to his bonny lass. Angela was a beautiful young woman, after all, and Flint had always liked the ladies as much as Jack did. The biggest difference between the two was their behaviors towards others. Jack treated people and creatures in a caring, and fairly respectful, manner. Meanwhile, Flint took what he could, and if he couldn't get it, he would simply take it by force. That had been one of the reasons why Flint and Jack didn't get along, and why they had been enemies from the first time they had met.
Their hatred for each other had started over a year ago in Tortuga, when both ships had gone in for a little rest and relaxation. They had docked the same day, and that very night, Flint had set about forcing himself on a girl in an alley while Jack had been passing by. Jack had heard the girl's terrified cries and, being the gentleman that he was, had thought to investigate. Seeing the unthinkable act going on, Jack had knocked the then-unknown-man over the head and saved the girl. She had been very thankful, and Jack had offered to escort her safely back home when Flint had awoken up. Seeing his attacker with 'his girl,' Flint had attacked Jack, and the two had gotten into a fantastic swordfight right there in the alley. The girl had fled, only to run into a passing Mr. Gibbs and Annamaria. Hearing the girl's story, the two crewmates had gone to their Captain's aid and knocked Flint out again. The three pirates had then dragged his unconscious form to the docks, leaving him for his crew to find the next day. From that time on, the two pirate captains had hated each other with a passion. Jack hated Flint for his cruel ways, and Flint despised Jack for his 'softness' towards women and others.
'And now Flint has Angela,' Jack thought, gripping the wheel tightly. The thought of what Flint could do to his bonny lass was enough to make him want to gut the bastard and serve him alive to the sharks for dinner. In fact, he just might do that.
"Cap'n!" called a voice.
Jack snapped out of his thoughts. Looking around, he spotted Annamaria standing off to his right. "What is it, Anna?" he asked.
"The crew's been wondering when we'll get to wherever the hell we're going," she said, looking at him.
"We're headed to Seagull Island, and we should be there within the next few days," Jack said, looking straight ahead, towards the horizon.
"Aye, sir," Annamaria said, saluting him with her right fore and middle fingers. She hesitated before turning to leave. "Do ye think Flint'll hurt Angela?" she asked, fear tingeing the edge of her voice.
Jack's eyes narrowed. "He'd better not, Anna," he said, still staring at the horizon. "If he does, he'll suffer the worst type of torture that I can think of."
Annamaria still didn't move. "And if she's dead?" she whispered, looking at the deck.
Jack growled in response. "Don't even think it," he said, his voice hard and angry. "If my lass is dead, I'll burn Flint alive on his ship, after I torture him and his crew." He heard Annamaria swallow hard before turning away and racing down below. If Flint had hurt Angela, there would be Hell to pay.
Angela's POV:
Looking out of the lone tiny window in her cabin/cell, Angela couldn't help but fear for her life. She had been Flint's prisoner for almost a week, and now they were almost at the island where the Heron and its treasures were hidden. Watching the sun set on the horizon, Angela thought of how the blood red coloring of the sky was reflected in the name of the ship she was on. She had heard from one of the Pearl's crewmates that a red sunrise or sunset meant that blood had been spilt or would be spilt soon. Shivering in fear, Angela turned away from the window and sat on the small bed, the only piece of furniture in the cabin, except for a small table and chair. Staring at the rough surface of the table, she thought of her experiences on the Horizon over the past week.
True to his word of wanting her company for the voyage, Flint had ordered someone to drag Angela to his cabin for lunch and dinner. A new gown had been provided for her for each occasion, and she wondered where on Earth he had found so many dresses so quickly. On the other hand, perhaps she didn't want to know. It wouldn't surprise her if some of their previous owners were currently residing at the bottom of the sea! So Angela kept her mouth shut and endured meal after meal with the captain of the Horizon, only talking when she was spoken to for fear of angering her captor. Whenever she wasn't eating with Captain Flint, she was sometimes allowed a private outing on deck to get some fresh air. She had been surprised at this, until she'd realized that she was being distantly followed by a crewman.
Angela snorted in laughter. "And where would I go?" she quietly asked herself. "We're in the middle of the bloody Caribbean! There's no place for me to swim to, for goodness sakes!"
Still, the crew and captain of the Horizon hadn't laid a harmful finger on her, for which she was extremely thankful. Unfortunately, she didn't know how long that good fortune would last. Would she be killed after she had led them to the treasure, or would they use her as a sort of bait for Jack and the Pearl? Angela certainly hoped that they would let her live after finding the Heron and not kill her. Being marooned on the island wouldn't be so bad, considering Jack knew where the island was.
"But Jack doesn't even know I'm gone," Angela murmured, tears forming in her eyes. "He might even think I've left him on another ship!" What if he never found her and she ended up dying on the island, all alone, without ever explaining to Jack what had happened?
Those last thoughts brought more tears to her eyes, and she lay down on the bed and cried. Eventually, she fell into a deep sleep, Jack's face the last image in her conscious mind.
When she awoke late the next morning, Angela found a pistol pointed at her head, and one of the Horizon's men standing over her.
"Time to get up, lass," the tall, beefy man said. "Time for lunch." He gestured with the pistol to a dress on the table. Angela nodded her head, and the pirate left her alone to change clothes.
As she held up the dress, she was shocked to find that it was a beautiful white gown with white pearls and crystals sewn into the designs on the bodice. Delicate white lace adorned the neck, elbow-length sleeves, and hem, and the entire thing was made of silk and velvet. In fact, the whole thing strongly resembled a wedding gown. Not wanting to wear the garment, but not daring to offend her captor, Angela changed into the gown, thankful that it didn't require help to do so. Finished changing, she opened the door and walked towards the captain's cabin, a guard right behind her. As she entered the cabin, Angela gaped in shock.
The plain office they usually ate in was now completely changed. Candles and silk hangings adorned the walls, and there was a large table with two china settings and several food dishes set in the center of the room, where the desk had once been. As she blinked, she realized that her escort had gone, and she was now locked alone in the cabin.
"Hello, lass," said a familiar voice right behind her.
Alright, maybe not quite alone. Angela slowly turned around and barely prevented her jaw from dropping again. Captain Flint was dressed completely in dark blue, from his shirt to his boots, all of his clothes made from the best materials. Angela curtseyed politely, as a lady would.
"Captain," she muttered. Upon rising, she found herself led to the table, and their dinner began. As soon as the last dish had been eaten, Angela prepared to leave as she usually did. She was prevented by Flint's hand on hers.
"Not so fast, my dear," he said. As she resumed her seat, he looked her over, taking her in. "Now, let's talk business, shall we?" At her nod, he continued. "After you lead us to the treasure, what do you think we'll do with you?" He chuckled at her alarmed look. "No, lass, my men won't kill you. If they did, I'd shoot whoever had committed such a crime." Flint smiled as he continued to look at her. "It would be a terrible crime against nature to kill such a beautiful creature. No, my dear, I've grown quite fond of you and I've decided to keep you here, on my Horizon, as my wife."
Angela fainted.
When she came to, it was morning and she was in a rowboat, headed towards land. Sitting up, she saw that she was still in her white gown, and Flint was holding her around the waist.
"I wouldn't recommend you trying to escape, my dear," he said, grinning down at her. "Your hands and legs are chained to one another, and you'd sink if you tried to swim. If you try to run, you'll trip, and I'd hate to see your face and dress get dirty before we're wed."
Angela nervously licked her lips. "And when exactly when will that be?" she asked.
"As soon as we're on the Heron's deck," Flint replied, gazing down at her eyes. "You have such beautiful eyes."
His hand reached up and grasped her head, forcing her into a passionate kiss. He released her and she tried not to gag from his forceful kiss. An instant later, their boat hit land and was dragged up on shore. Not releasing her from his grasp, Flint carried her bridal style out of the boat and onto the sand, though he didn't let her go.
"Now, off to find the treasure!" he yelled, his happy crew cheering along with him.
Meanwhile, Angela felt like being sick at the thought of losing the chance to tell Jack that she loved him.
Jack's POV:
On the morning of their fifth day at sea, Jack felt ready to strangle Flint for what he had done. How he had managed to survive five days without Angela on the Pearl was beyond him, and he never wanted to go through that experience ever again. He would shoot himself if it did.
"Cap'n!" yelled a voice from the crow's nest.
"Aye?" Jack replied.
"Seagull Island off the starboard bow!"
Sure enough, the island slowly came into view, and Jack grinned. Soon, Angela would be back on the Pearl, the treasure would be found, and they could all get drunk on rum!
"Right after I shoot Flint," Jack muttered as he steered towards the island.
An hour later, the Pearl was anchored on the opposite side of the island so that the Horizon's crew wouldn't know they were there. Jack, Annamaria, Gibbs, Mr. Cotton (complete with parrot), and at least a dozen others, where now packed into three rowboats headed to shore. Remembering what Angela had shown him in the basin, Jack told the crew to head to where the caves were to their left, and Flint's right.
Not long afterwards, the Pearl's crew and captain had discovered the hidden caves and had stowed their boats in a small cove. Some men stayed behind to guard the boats while the rest went after Flint. Everyone quietly drew their weapons, readied their pistols, and entered the cave.
Angela's POV:
After Flint and his crew had entered the immense, dark opening of the cave, the pirate captain had set her down and unchained her before grabbing her hand and seizing a torch offered to him by a crewmember. The way now lit, he began leading her down a damp passageway into the dark depths of the cave, towards the Heron. After about fifteen minutes, they entered a vast cavern where a beam of light fell on the floating figure of a ship, beckoning them closer. As they neared the Heron, some of the crewmembers discovered a stone path leading up to a small cliff that somewhat curved over the deck of the Heron, creating a natural gangplank. Flint, still clutching Angela's hand, and his crew climbed up the path and onto the ship, searching every cabin for a sign of the treasure. A loud cry from within the belly of the ship drew everyone below decks. The sight that greeted them was spectacular.
Huge piles of gold bricks, coins, and jewelry decorated every free inch of space. There were also numerous wooden boxes of different sizes, each elaborately decorated with Aztec carvings and images. Picking one up, Flint tested its weight before opening it. Inside, the box was full of gemstones of every color one could imagine. Grinning, he picked up a slightly larger box and took it under his arm.
"Perfect," Flint said, grinning broadly. "Alright men, load yourselves up and let's take what we can back to the ship!"
A huge cheer went up, and men began shoving gold and gems into some small bags they had managed to bring with them. When no one could fit another bit into their pouches, the crew gathered around their captain for orders.
"Alright, Phil, I want you to take the men back to the ship with their treasures, then send them back here with the boats," Flint ordered. "We'll only leave after every bit of plunder is cleaned out, got it?"
"But sir, what about ye and the wench?" asked Phil, jerking his head towards Angela.
Flint smiled. "Me and the future Mrs. Flint are going to enjoy looking at the gems until you get back," he said, his hand still gripping Angela's. "Now get going!"
His orders were quickly carried out, and the Horizon's crew filed out of the cave. Little did Flint know that he was sending them to their deaths.
Jack's POV:
After entering the cave's entry way, Jack signaled for his crew to hide amid the numerous stone formations along the wall and to put out their torches. After half an hour, the sound of footsteps could be heard. Jack could hear his crew preparing to attack, and as soon as the Horizon's crew was in front of them, Jack leapt out of his spot and killed the first man he saw. The Pearl's crew quickly followed, and the only sound heard was that of metal sliding into flesh. Soon, half of the Horizon's crew was lining the cavern wall and floor, and Jack's crew was completely untouched. Personally, Jack was thoroughly pleased that they had completed their surprise attack with little to no noise. However, something was missing. Looking around, he realized what it was.
"Where's Angela?" he asked, looking around. Spotting a still breathing man, Jack hauled the man up to meet his eyes. "Where's the lass?" he asked, his voice cold as ice. The man pointed to the depths of the cavern before dying. Jack dropped the dead man in disgust. "Well, let's go then."
With that, the Pearl's crew silently crept into the depths of the cavern.
Angela's POV:
As she stood alone at the Heron's railing, staring at the water, Angela couldn't help but feel her heart sink. Flint was within hearing range in the Heron's captain's cabin, counting gems. The thought of marrying that man made her ill, and the thought of never seeing Jack again made her want to die. Rubbing her eyes to prevent tears, she felt arms around her waist. She sighed.
"For the last time, Captain, I don't want to see any more treasure!" she snapped, not looking back. "Nor do I want to be felt up by you, now or ever!"
"That's a pity, luv, because I thought that ye enjoyed my company," a familiar husky voice said.
Whirling around, Angela came face-to-face with a captain, alright, but it was the Captain she loved.
"Jack!" she gasped before his lips landed on hers, his hand holding her head close to his. Angela's eyes closed as she gave into his kiss.
This kiss was beyond anything they had shared before, striking her down in her soul. Angela could feel the love that he held for her in that kiss, and hear the two of them sigh with contentment. The young witch also felt the magic inside her accept the man who held her, feeling it swell up inside of her body and surround her and her lover with a binding white glow that would hold them together forever, even into death. They were now one.
As they broke apart, the two lovers opened their eyes and stared at each other for a brief moment before Jack spoke.
"Well," he said, clearing his throat. "That was interesting." Behind them, the crew cheered for their captain, and the two lovers grinned at one another.
"Indeed," said a cold voice from behind them. The cheers went quiet, and the sound of swords being unsheathed and pistols being readied could be heard in the vastness of the cavern. Jack and Angela turned around.
"Flint," Jack said, his voice both hot and cold with hate and anger. "Ye should've known better than to take something that's mine." He released Angela and drew his cutlass, putting himself between Flint and his love.
"She's not yours anymore, Sparrow," Flint said, also drawing his sword. "She's mine, and I'll take her, as well as the treasure. She'll be dressed like a queen of the sea, my queen!"
Jack growled. "Ye're not going anywhere with my bonny lass," he snarled, brandishing his weapon. "I'll be dead before I let that happen."
Flint grinned. "If you insist," he said, his sword flying up to clash with Jack's.
The two pirates circled each other on the Heron's deck, Angela keeping herself at the edge of the battle. She watched as Jack darted at Flint and swung his sword in a brilliant arch, nearly beheading Flint before other pirate blocked it, though barely. Jack was pushed back as Flint threw his entire weight into forcing Jack away from him. The two men then circled each other again, their swords catching and reflecting the beam of sunlight coming in from the ceiling of the cave.
Watching the flashing light of the swords, Angela was hit with an idea. She frantically searched for some sort of weapon on deck, but found none. Slowly moving over to the opposite side of the bow, closer to where the Pearl's crew was, Angela saw that they were purposely keeping away from the fight, letting the two pirate captains duel it out amongst themselves. Making eye contact with Mr. Gibbs, Angela then looked at his knife and then back at him. The older man discreetly nodded his head before pulling out his knife and throwing it at her. Angela 'meeped' as the weapon flew at her, but blinked when the weapon imbedded itself in the railing right by her hand. About an inch from her hand, to be exact. She looked up and scowled at Mr. Gibbs, who shrugged and winked at her. Angela rolled her eyes in amusement before grabbing the dagger and turning to face the two battling pirate captains. She thought about something that Jack had once said while telling one of his many stories.
Wait for the opportune moment.
And the moment that Flint faced her direction was the moment she was waiting for. She grasped the knife and reflected blinding white sunlight directly into his eyes. As he yelped and tried to block it, Jack took his chance and grabbed his pistol, sending a shot into the other man's stomach. Flint froze in shock before falling face-down onto the deck.
The cavern went deathly silent for a brief moment, right before the Pearl's crew let up a huge cheer for their captain. Jack turned and smiled at his crew, returning his sword and pistol to their proper places. He waved them down towards the belly of the ship, some immediately flying down to gather treasures while others went to rob the dead enemy pirates. As soon as the crewmembers vanished from sight, Jack grabbed Angela around her waist and swung her around the deck of the Heron, stepping over the still form of Captain Joseph Flint.
"Did ye miss, luv?" he asked, looking up at her as he held her. "Gods, I missed ye and yer lovely eyes more than anything in the world!" Jack then set her down and kissed her before she could answer. As soon as they stopped for air, Angela looked up at his tall form and smiled.
"Of course I missed you, you foolish pirate," she said, wrapping her arms around his neck and snuggling her face into his warm chest. Oh, yes, this was heaven.
"Did ye, now?" he asked. She could hear him grin. "Well, then, ye won't mind if I ask ye something?"
Angela looked up at him. "What is it?" she asked, looking up into his brown eyes.
He looked at the choker she was still wearing before he reached into a pocket in his coat and pulled out a box. "Darling," he said, kneeling down on one knee. Angela's eyes widened. "Will ye marry me?" He opened the box, revealing a beautiful ring. It was an oval amethyst the size of her thumb nail surrounded by tiny white diamonds.
Angela's jaw dropped. "Jack, are you..." she trailed off as Jack stood up and slipped the ring onto her left ring finger. "Are you sure? I mean, yes, I will, but are you sure you want to..." She was cut off as Jack's lips met hers. A few moments later, they separated. "I guess you are sure," she said, smiling.
Jack grinned. "Aye," he said, hugging her close to his chest. "That means 'yes.'" He kissed her again, both of them oblivious to the crew watching them as they carried their treasures out to their rowboats.
AN: So sorry for not updating for a while! Stupid summer classes...my fiction writing class had to come first, and I had to write three short stories in three weeks! I'm so glad the class is only four weeks long, and that it ends this week! I should have more time after this, because then I'll only have one class, but it's also a writing class, so I'm not sure how much time I'll have. However, I will finish this story, even if it kills me! And does anyone want a sequel to this story? If there aren't enough requests or reviews, there might not be one. Please answer quickly, because there are only one or two more chapters left! A sequel will only be written after I have received 100 reviews, so start reviewing, please! And does anyone know who the penname Gog 4 belongs to? I have them on my favorites list, but I have no idea who they were before, or what they wrote! Could someone help me with this?