6 YEARS LATER.
"Father, it looks like a storm is brewing up from the south." Jezebel said while dramatically watching the indicated direction of the ever-changing weather.
"And who taught you how to read the weather?" William asked his daughter while leaning on the rails. Wind tugging gently on the two, the water rocking them. Having learnt to walk on the unstable, constantly moving barge Jezebel scampered about gracefully on the ship and seemed to glide when on land.
"Mr. Gibbs did. He tells me all sorts of things, even stories about mum. About how the two of you first met, which I find terribly romantic. But even more romantic is your first adventure with the Captain Jack, to save mummy."
"Don't listen to everything you're told, Jezzy. They're pirates." He said as he turned to face the now obviously approaching storm, eyes not seeing the black clouds, instead he saw the years he had spent with his beloved wife starting as far back as the day they had first met. He would always remember that day, both terribly tragic and blissfully wonderful. Then turning to his daughter he saw Elizabeth in all the grace of her childhood bottled up into this child of the sea.
"But aren't we pirates, too, father. I mean, why else would we live on a pirate ship and never been pestered by any of the shipmates? I know for a fact that your father was Bootstrap Bill Turner, and from what I've heard he was a delightful pirate at that. So I'm guessing that piracy runs in the family. Something else I learned. how to fight like a pirate: never follow the rules. If you have a chance to make a winning strike. take it!" She said as she mock-fought the air.
"You have a fascination with pirates. just like your mother. And you look more and more like her everyday. Same defiant eyes, and nose."
"The crew says I'm a spittin' image of you, father. How come I've never meet mummy? I mean surely normal children know both of their parents, I've just always found that quite strange, but then again who wants to be normal? I think being normal would be a dull life."
"Who wants to be normal indeed. Don't worry Jezzy, you shall meet your mother one-day. it's just, that day still has yet to come. Now be a good little pirate and stay here, I'm going to go help prepare for this storm."
"Yes father." After a few moments of watching the ocean waves lapping at the sides of the ship, Jezebel heard light footfalls approaching her. She turned to Anna Marie just in time to catch the small sword she had tossed to her. "Practicing before a storm? Sounds like a good challenge to me!" She said as she began to battle with her only female shipmate. "Anna, did you ever know my mum?"
"Your foot work is improved. aye, I knew her, but what is this sudden fascination with your mother? Huh, that left foot is still a bit slow. What would you like to know about her?" She asked as she threw out a blow that would have knocked Jezebel's head off had she not ducked and, at the advantage of throwing Anna Marie off balance, put her sword to her throat. "Aye, and the teacher becomes the student. Ye fight like a real pirate now."
"Ah, but I still have much to learn. I wish to know what she was like, was she dainty and proper, loud and rude." The toddler asked as she tossed her sword into it's stand near the entrance to the lower decks.
"She was the most defiant wench I'd e'er met. Bravest in the worst of times, and as daft as they come. And you're well on your way to being just like her, save for she didn't sword fight. least I'd ne'er seen her with a sword. But she knew how to turn heads, very passionate lass as I remember. any more questions?"
"No. Thank you Anna Marie, I think I'll be going below now. That storm looks really bad." With that Anna Marie left the girl to herself on the ship deck, stealing one last look over the railing into the black waves that were becoming gradually more violent. She saw the glimmer of something that appeared to be a jewel; red and glittering, she felt strangely drawn to it. And without a warning a strong wave hit the opposite side of the Black Pearl, which threw the child into the treacherous water.
William and most of the crew were near the other side of the ship when a high-pitched screech sounded in the afternoon sky.
"Jezebel!" William whispered hoarsely as he made a run for where he and his daughter stood for what seemed to have been only moments ago, just in time to see Captain Jack Sparrow dive into the ebony waves. Seconds later Gibbs threw a rope into the water as the Captain returned to view holding onto the girl and screaming about something that sounded like.
"SHARK! SHARK! GET US THE BLOODY HELL OUT OF HERE!" And with one mighty tug the Pirates, both old and young, flew from the water below back onto the deck. William, taking the unconscious child from Jack, sat on the now damp floor and quietly began to rock her back and forth as the crew crowded around the father and daughter. "Give them some space. back, give them room!" Sparrow barked as the bunch of pirates went back to what they had been doing.
"Jezzy! Jezebel, sweetheart. wake-up, come on wake up." He begged while he gently shook the girl until she began to cough up the water she had been choking on. "There ya go, that's a good girl. What happened Jezzy?"
"I dunno, father. One minute I saw something in the water, and the next I'm in the water." She said weakly.
"Well you're alright now. What did you see in the water?" He asked as she opened her hand to reveal a jeweled key.
"I don't know why it was just floating there, but when I fell in I saw it next to me and I didn't know what it was so I just held onto it. then I started to sink and I blacked out." She said as Anna Marie rushed over with a wool blanket to keep the girl from catching a cold.
"Thank you Anna." Will said as Jezebel buried her head into her father's chest, feeling too drained of all energy to thank Anna Marie herself.
"Don't want the young miss to catch her death, too important this lass be." She said as she walked off, Jezebel too tired to hear her friends comment. Before succumbing to sleep the small child placed her new treasure in her pocket, afterwards her father carried her to her little make-shift room in the lower compartments of the Pearl, and there they stayed until the worst of the storm had subsided.
A FEW MONTHS LATER.
"Land ho!" One pirate called pointing to the tiny strip of land that was barely visible. "It's Tortugo!"
"Aye mates. we be home at last!" Another yelled.
"E'er been to Tortugo, Jezebel?" Jack asked as he heard the girl run up next to him.
"If I have, I was too young to remember." She said, her gaze fixed on the piece of land that seemed to be crawling towards her.
"It's not a place for the woman pirate, the only real home for us is the sea. not some whore infested island for drunkards." Anna Marie said as she slyly snuck up on Jezebel.
"Just be careful where you go and what you do in Tortugo. And DON'T take anything that someone offers you. Only take something if you can steal it and get away with it." Jack said without turning away from the familiar view of the island.
"And what if someone challenges me or gets in my way?"
"Then you fight them, you're skilled enough now. Besides that, who in all the world would fight a little girl. even if she were a pirate, that's just not right, picking on children. Honestly!" Jezebel could help but laugh as her friend went on ranting about one random thing after another.
"But what is our reason for going to Tortugo? I mean, what do we need there?"
"Most of the crew is leaving the Pearl, leaving you and me," he said as Jezebel looked at him in disbelief, "So we are here to recruit new mates. 'Tis the last place in all the Caribbean to find a good bunch of crazy pirates that are almost as crazy as myself."
"Who all is staying with us? Father, you and me. who else?" she asked with growing concern etched on her face.
"You almost forgot me, ol' Anna Marie. My place is here on the Pearl, with my favorite pirate along side me for all the adventures that come my way." Expecting his to be the name she mentioned next Jack straightens his jacket and smoothes out his moustache, "The dread pirate Jezebel Turner! Bravest pirate to e'er sail the seas, and most terrible in beauty to look upon." She exclaimed throwing the girl up into the air and catching her. "Besides. someone's got to be there to teach you the ways of being a woman."
"Ugh! Women, I shall ne'er understand any of ye." Sparrow huffed as both girls laughed at his despairing comment.
"Don't worry Jack, you'll always be my favorite pirate and captain." As she went to hug the old pirate, Jezebel could have sworn to anyone that she saw tears forming in the ol' captains eyes.
"Time to go ashore, you've got 4 choices, Jezebel, for when we get to land. One you can stay at the docks and watch the boat, or you could stay with your father, Anna Marie, or myself. Savvy?" he finished as the girl began to nod her head. "Who will it be lil jezzy-poppet?"
"Ummmm. I want to go. by myself. You yourself said I'm a skilled fighter now, so I should be able to take care of myself. And I don't get lost easily; I'll be fine. And I won't get into any trouble because that's your job, Captain Jack." Jezebel said, attempting to sound as sincere as possible, which made the two older pirate's laugh at the fact that trouble was more Jack's expertise.
But when the boat, which carried a number of homesick pirates, and Jezebel reached the shore a sudden lacking of surety confused her. Though the surroundings felt strangely familiar, she felt lost. Wandering down seemingly empty paths of a small forest she figured out why she felt strangely about the place. she wasn't alone. Reaching for her little sword she whirled around to face a boy her age, with sandy brown hair and large horrified brown eyes, who seemed to be as lost as her, but he was more flustered about it than she was.
"Who are you? And why are you following me?" She demanded; the boy seemed to jump a little more with each word. "Speak!"
"J-James West. I was lost and thought, well, you seemed to know where you were going, so I thought maybe."
"Thought what?" She asked, more gently this time. "Are you a native here? Of course not, then you would know your way around. Are you a pirate then?"
"No, I was kidnapped, managed to get free and then I saw you and thought that you had been taken too."
"I'm no captive, I'm a pirate of the Black Pearl. Where were you taken from?" Jezebel asked circling the boy, making sure he was unharmed and unarmed; an act that was obviously making the boy even more uncomfortable.
"P-P-Port Langly. Everything was destroyed, I don't know why they took me, they asked me my name and I thought, because the governor is my father, that they were going to kidnap me. So, I told them I was related to my favorite pirate."
"And who would that be?" She said finally stopping in front of him. Eyes locked, inches from his face.
"I said my name was James Turner. Like the infamous Bootstrap Bill Turner, he's got a grandchild my age, and what luck their name starts with a J, too!"
"Bootstrap died, years ago. Back when my father was not much older than we are now." She said looking in the direction from were they had come. Torchlight's were approaching. "Quick, we must hide! Someone ventures near. there. Duck down there!" She said throwing James to the ground, then crouching along with him.
"He came this way." Said one particularly grimy looking pirate to another.
"Then maybe he still wanders this way, he should have reached the waters by now. But remember we have to bring him back in one piece, else Blackbeard would be very cross with us. C'mon let's go." Said the other as they ventured on.
"Blackbeard? Hmm." Jezebel whispered, "We must get back to the ship. c'mon hurry now, it won't take them long to figure out we aren't down there."
The two children ran quickly back to the docks; Jezebel grinned at the sight of a drunk Sparrow and a very sober and very angry Anna Marie waiting for her return. Stopping abruptly James bumped right into the young pirate.
"You stay here. I'm going to go talk to my captain, hide behind this box, and don't come out until I come back for you. Understand?" Leaving only after she saw him nod his head and crawl behind the large wooden box. Now it was only a matter of talking to Anna Marie, since Sparrow was not at his best, he wasn't in any position to make decisions. This would be easier than she had planned. "Anna Marie, Anna Marie! I have something to tell you!" Jezebel screeched as she ran to her friend.
"There you are, do you have any idea how long we've been waiting for you? Well, I've been waiting, Sparrow's been drinking rum. again." She remarked with a roll of the eyes.
"Anna, I have a secret that I need to share with you. I'm rescuing a boy that was kidnapped by someone by the name of Blackbeard. He told them that his name was Turner, but that's my name. So we need to take him back to Port Langly, but we can't let him know that I'm the Turner that his abductors are looking for. Can you keep this secret for me?" She asked quietly as Anna Marie nodded solemnly.
"Wait, did you say Blackbeard, Lil miss poppet?" Jack asked nearly tripping over air for the second time.
"Aye, that I did."
"Anna, let's get these kids on a boat. NOW!" He said jumping from drunkard to sober pirate captain within seconds.
"Go get him, Jezzy." Anna watched as the girl ran over to a box and returned with a little boy of the same age. "Right, let's go." She murmured, leading the children and captain back to the boat.
"Don't worry boy, you'll be safe here. We're pirates but we're pirates of our word. We'll get you home without a scratch on ye. Poppet! I must have a word with ye." He called turning away from the boy as Jezebel ran over to where he walked.
"I have but one request, Cap'n and that is that our little friend here not learn my name. I know he's not the one searchin' for me but I still believe that if he did know it. it could put him in more danger than he's already in."
"Request granted, poppet." He said with a bow.
"Another question. if it's not too bold. who is this Blackbeard person? You know him, I could tell. I've ne'er seen you sober up so quickly before."
"'Tis nothin of importance."
"Jack."
"You've heard the tales of Barbosa, haven't ye? He's like Barbosa only worse. he's the man that nightmares are made of. You don't want to cross him, he'll kill regardless of age or gender." He said as Jezebel gasped in horror.
"If he's that bad. than what did I. Jack! He's after me, what did I do to make him come after me!"
"That, Poppet, I do not know. But I'll find out. want to know how?"
"How?"
"I'm Captain Jack Sparrow. And until your little friend makes his way home. you will be Bell. instead of Jezebel."
After her brief conversation with her captain, the mysterious girl lead little James to the lower levels of the ship, where she showed him where he would find rest until they reached his home.
"And if you find that you need anything. and I mean anything, my quarters are right of there. It's the little door with the two swords engraved on it. And don't worry.we're the good pirates, they're all very nice people. Is there anything I can get you for now?" she asked sincerely when she had finished pointing everything out to the boy.
"Your name. I gave you mine, you saved my life and I don't even know your name. you intrigue me with your air of mystery. And how did a girl like you come to be a pirate?" He asked, a look of confusion consumed his features as the girl next to him began laughing.
"You could say piracy runs in my family, and that 'intriguing air of mystery' you speak of is sort of my protection. I mean, you gotta have something as a pirate that will keep you safe aside from the sword and pistol. As for my name. you may call me Bell, I shall give you no more or less of a name. So do not ask around either, I leave my name to secrecy for your own protection, too."
"My own protection? But I'm not in any more danger. am I?" He said as the barge gently swayed, a move that didn't appear to disturb Jezebel's stance, but knocked James to the ground.
"I feel that until your are safe on the ground of Port Langly. yes, danger is still around the corner. As for what danger that is. I know as much as you do. It is a nameless fear that if thought about for longer than a moment, well, then resting would be out of the question. But enough of that for now, you need your rest. I'll be in my room." While turning to retreat to her quarters, James scrambled to his feet.
"Wait, Bell. One more thing. if I may." When she turned back around he was nearly brought back to the floor by the overwhelming look of calm and patience written on the girl's face, with a gulp he went on. "Are you an angel? I've read about them, the ones that protect pirates and fishermen and the other sea explorers. Are you the angel of the Black Pearl?" Again she found his words humorous, but this time he understood why, he'd figured out her grand secret.
"Maybe. I've ne'er thought of that. But who knows? Maybe I am an angel and I just don't know it yet. Now, get some rest. you'll need It." Turning she began to laugh again.
"Well, I think you are. If my vote means anything, you are." He said as he sat down into the hammock and began to dream. "And if no-one else knows it yet. then you'll be my angel instead."
Behind the door to her room, Jezebel leaned against the wall. She knew that she couldn't get any closer to the boy, it would too dangerous. And so, for the remainder of the voyage to Port Langly, Jezebel had locked herself in her room, not to resurface to even say goodbye.
"Goodbye, dear James, perhaps we will meet again. in better times. Who knows, had I let us. we might even have been friends."
A/N: Thank you to those who have contributed reviews. I am glad to see that people enjoy my stories, and you have reacted very enthusiastically. Which for me was awesome. I felt all tingly inside * warmfuzzies! *
Anyway, sorry it took so long to put this second chapter up. and don't worry I have plenty more to write. A lot more POTC fun is still to come! The time between chapters might be longer than a week because school is getting closer and closer (dammit!) but I will write as much as I can, whenever I can.
"Father, it looks like a storm is brewing up from the south." Jezebel said while dramatically watching the indicated direction of the ever-changing weather.
"And who taught you how to read the weather?" William asked his daughter while leaning on the rails. Wind tugging gently on the two, the water rocking them. Having learnt to walk on the unstable, constantly moving barge Jezebel scampered about gracefully on the ship and seemed to glide when on land.
"Mr. Gibbs did. He tells me all sorts of things, even stories about mum. About how the two of you first met, which I find terribly romantic. But even more romantic is your first adventure with the Captain Jack, to save mummy."
"Don't listen to everything you're told, Jezzy. They're pirates." He said as he turned to face the now obviously approaching storm, eyes not seeing the black clouds, instead he saw the years he had spent with his beloved wife starting as far back as the day they had first met. He would always remember that day, both terribly tragic and blissfully wonderful. Then turning to his daughter he saw Elizabeth in all the grace of her childhood bottled up into this child of the sea.
"But aren't we pirates, too, father. I mean, why else would we live on a pirate ship and never been pestered by any of the shipmates? I know for a fact that your father was Bootstrap Bill Turner, and from what I've heard he was a delightful pirate at that. So I'm guessing that piracy runs in the family. Something else I learned. how to fight like a pirate: never follow the rules. If you have a chance to make a winning strike. take it!" She said as she mock-fought the air.
"You have a fascination with pirates. just like your mother. And you look more and more like her everyday. Same defiant eyes, and nose."
"The crew says I'm a spittin' image of you, father. How come I've never meet mummy? I mean surely normal children know both of their parents, I've just always found that quite strange, but then again who wants to be normal? I think being normal would be a dull life."
"Who wants to be normal indeed. Don't worry Jezzy, you shall meet your mother one-day. it's just, that day still has yet to come. Now be a good little pirate and stay here, I'm going to go help prepare for this storm."
"Yes father." After a few moments of watching the ocean waves lapping at the sides of the ship, Jezebel heard light footfalls approaching her. She turned to Anna Marie just in time to catch the small sword she had tossed to her. "Practicing before a storm? Sounds like a good challenge to me!" She said as she began to battle with her only female shipmate. "Anna, did you ever know my mum?"
"Your foot work is improved. aye, I knew her, but what is this sudden fascination with your mother? Huh, that left foot is still a bit slow. What would you like to know about her?" She asked as she threw out a blow that would have knocked Jezebel's head off had she not ducked and, at the advantage of throwing Anna Marie off balance, put her sword to her throat. "Aye, and the teacher becomes the student. Ye fight like a real pirate now."
"Ah, but I still have much to learn. I wish to know what she was like, was she dainty and proper, loud and rude." The toddler asked as she tossed her sword into it's stand near the entrance to the lower decks.
"She was the most defiant wench I'd e'er met. Bravest in the worst of times, and as daft as they come. And you're well on your way to being just like her, save for she didn't sword fight. least I'd ne'er seen her with a sword. But she knew how to turn heads, very passionate lass as I remember. any more questions?"
"No. Thank you Anna Marie, I think I'll be going below now. That storm looks really bad." With that Anna Marie left the girl to herself on the ship deck, stealing one last look over the railing into the black waves that were becoming gradually more violent. She saw the glimmer of something that appeared to be a jewel; red and glittering, she felt strangely drawn to it. And without a warning a strong wave hit the opposite side of the Black Pearl, which threw the child into the treacherous water.
William and most of the crew were near the other side of the ship when a high-pitched screech sounded in the afternoon sky.
"Jezebel!" William whispered hoarsely as he made a run for where he and his daughter stood for what seemed to have been only moments ago, just in time to see Captain Jack Sparrow dive into the ebony waves. Seconds later Gibbs threw a rope into the water as the Captain returned to view holding onto the girl and screaming about something that sounded like.
"SHARK! SHARK! GET US THE BLOODY HELL OUT OF HERE!" And with one mighty tug the Pirates, both old and young, flew from the water below back onto the deck. William, taking the unconscious child from Jack, sat on the now damp floor and quietly began to rock her back and forth as the crew crowded around the father and daughter. "Give them some space. back, give them room!" Sparrow barked as the bunch of pirates went back to what they had been doing.
"Jezzy! Jezebel, sweetheart. wake-up, come on wake up." He begged while he gently shook the girl until she began to cough up the water she had been choking on. "There ya go, that's a good girl. What happened Jezzy?"
"I dunno, father. One minute I saw something in the water, and the next I'm in the water." She said weakly.
"Well you're alright now. What did you see in the water?" He asked as she opened her hand to reveal a jeweled key.
"I don't know why it was just floating there, but when I fell in I saw it next to me and I didn't know what it was so I just held onto it. then I started to sink and I blacked out." She said as Anna Marie rushed over with a wool blanket to keep the girl from catching a cold.
"Thank you Anna." Will said as Jezebel buried her head into her father's chest, feeling too drained of all energy to thank Anna Marie herself.
"Don't want the young miss to catch her death, too important this lass be." She said as she walked off, Jezebel too tired to hear her friends comment. Before succumbing to sleep the small child placed her new treasure in her pocket, afterwards her father carried her to her little make-shift room in the lower compartments of the Pearl, and there they stayed until the worst of the storm had subsided.
A FEW MONTHS LATER.
"Land ho!" One pirate called pointing to the tiny strip of land that was barely visible. "It's Tortugo!"
"Aye mates. we be home at last!" Another yelled.
"E'er been to Tortugo, Jezebel?" Jack asked as he heard the girl run up next to him.
"If I have, I was too young to remember." She said, her gaze fixed on the piece of land that seemed to be crawling towards her.
"It's not a place for the woman pirate, the only real home for us is the sea. not some whore infested island for drunkards." Anna Marie said as she slyly snuck up on Jezebel.
"Just be careful where you go and what you do in Tortugo. And DON'T take anything that someone offers you. Only take something if you can steal it and get away with it." Jack said without turning away from the familiar view of the island.
"And what if someone challenges me or gets in my way?"
"Then you fight them, you're skilled enough now. Besides that, who in all the world would fight a little girl. even if she were a pirate, that's just not right, picking on children. Honestly!" Jezebel could help but laugh as her friend went on ranting about one random thing after another.
"But what is our reason for going to Tortugo? I mean, what do we need there?"
"Most of the crew is leaving the Pearl, leaving you and me," he said as Jezebel looked at him in disbelief, "So we are here to recruit new mates. 'Tis the last place in all the Caribbean to find a good bunch of crazy pirates that are almost as crazy as myself."
"Who all is staying with us? Father, you and me. who else?" she asked with growing concern etched on her face.
"You almost forgot me, ol' Anna Marie. My place is here on the Pearl, with my favorite pirate along side me for all the adventures that come my way." Expecting his to be the name she mentioned next Jack straightens his jacket and smoothes out his moustache, "The dread pirate Jezebel Turner! Bravest pirate to e'er sail the seas, and most terrible in beauty to look upon." She exclaimed throwing the girl up into the air and catching her. "Besides. someone's got to be there to teach you the ways of being a woman."
"Ugh! Women, I shall ne'er understand any of ye." Sparrow huffed as both girls laughed at his despairing comment.
"Don't worry Jack, you'll always be my favorite pirate and captain." As she went to hug the old pirate, Jezebel could have sworn to anyone that she saw tears forming in the ol' captains eyes.
"Time to go ashore, you've got 4 choices, Jezebel, for when we get to land. One you can stay at the docks and watch the boat, or you could stay with your father, Anna Marie, or myself. Savvy?" he finished as the girl began to nod her head. "Who will it be lil jezzy-poppet?"
"Ummmm. I want to go. by myself. You yourself said I'm a skilled fighter now, so I should be able to take care of myself. And I don't get lost easily; I'll be fine. And I won't get into any trouble because that's your job, Captain Jack." Jezebel said, attempting to sound as sincere as possible, which made the two older pirate's laugh at the fact that trouble was more Jack's expertise.
But when the boat, which carried a number of homesick pirates, and Jezebel reached the shore a sudden lacking of surety confused her. Though the surroundings felt strangely familiar, she felt lost. Wandering down seemingly empty paths of a small forest she figured out why she felt strangely about the place. she wasn't alone. Reaching for her little sword she whirled around to face a boy her age, with sandy brown hair and large horrified brown eyes, who seemed to be as lost as her, but he was more flustered about it than she was.
"Who are you? And why are you following me?" She demanded; the boy seemed to jump a little more with each word. "Speak!"
"J-James West. I was lost and thought, well, you seemed to know where you were going, so I thought maybe."
"Thought what?" She asked, more gently this time. "Are you a native here? Of course not, then you would know your way around. Are you a pirate then?"
"No, I was kidnapped, managed to get free and then I saw you and thought that you had been taken too."
"I'm no captive, I'm a pirate of the Black Pearl. Where were you taken from?" Jezebel asked circling the boy, making sure he was unharmed and unarmed; an act that was obviously making the boy even more uncomfortable.
"P-P-Port Langly. Everything was destroyed, I don't know why they took me, they asked me my name and I thought, because the governor is my father, that they were going to kidnap me. So, I told them I was related to my favorite pirate."
"And who would that be?" She said finally stopping in front of him. Eyes locked, inches from his face.
"I said my name was James Turner. Like the infamous Bootstrap Bill Turner, he's got a grandchild my age, and what luck their name starts with a J, too!"
"Bootstrap died, years ago. Back when my father was not much older than we are now." She said looking in the direction from were they had come. Torchlight's were approaching. "Quick, we must hide! Someone ventures near. there. Duck down there!" She said throwing James to the ground, then crouching along with him.
"He came this way." Said one particularly grimy looking pirate to another.
"Then maybe he still wanders this way, he should have reached the waters by now. But remember we have to bring him back in one piece, else Blackbeard would be very cross with us. C'mon let's go." Said the other as they ventured on.
"Blackbeard? Hmm." Jezebel whispered, "We must get back to the ship. c'mon hurry now, it won't take them long to figure out we aren't down there."
The two children ran quickly back to the docks; Jezebel grinned at the sight of a drunk Sparrow and a very sober and very angry Anna Marie waiting for her return. Stopping abruptly James bumped right into the young pirate.
"You stay here. I'm going to go talk to my captain, hide behind this box, and don't come out until I come back for you. Understand?" Leaving only after she saw him nod his head and crawl behind the large wooden box. Now it was only a matter of talking to Anna Marie, since Sparrow was not at his best, he wasn't in any position to make decisions. This would be easier than she had planned. "Anna Marie, Anna Marie! I have something to tell you!" Jezebel screeched as she ran to her friend.
"There you are, do you have any idea how long we've been waiting for you? Well, I've been waiting, Sparrow's been drinking rum. again." She remarked with a roll of the eyes.
"Anna, I have a secret that I need to share with you. I'm rescuing a boy that was kidnapped by someone by the name of Blackbeard. He told them that his name was Turner, but that's my name. So we need to take him back to Port Langly, but we can't let him know that I'm the Turner that his abductors are looking for. Can you keep this secret for me?" She asked quietly as Anna Marie nodded solemnly.
"Wait, did you say Blackbeard, Lil miss poppet?" Jack asked nearly tripping over air for the second time.
"Aye, that I did."
"Anna, let's get these kids on a boat. NOW!" He said jumping from drunkard to sober pirate captain within seconds.
"Go get him, Jezzy." Anna watched as the girl ran over to a box and returned with a little boy of the same age. "Right, let's go." She murmured, leading the children and captain back to the boat.
"Don't worry boy, you'll be safe here. We're pirates but we're pirates of our word. We'll get you home without a scratch on ye. Poppet! I must have a word with ye." He called turning away from the boy as Jezebel ran over to where he walked.
"I have but one request, Cap'n and that is that our little friend here not learn my name. I know he's not the one searchin' for me but I still believe that if he did know it. it could put him in more danger than he's already in."
"Request granted, poppet." He said with a bow.
"Another question. if it's not too bold. who is this Blackbeard person? You know him, I could tell. I've ne'er seen you sober up so quickly before."
"'Tis nothin of importance."
"Jack."
"You've heard the tales of Barbosa, haven't ye? He's like Barbosa only worse. he's the man that nightmares are made of. You don't want to cross him, he'll kill regardless of age or gender." He said as Jezebel gasped in horror.
"If he's that bad. than what did I. Jack! He's after me, what did I do to make him come after me!"
"That, Poppet, I do not know. But I'll find out. want to know how?"
"How?"
"I'm Captain Jack Sparrow. And until your little friend makes his way home. you will be Bell. instead of Jezebel."
After her brief conversation with her captain, the mysterious girl lead little James to the lower levels of the ship, where she showed him where he would find rest until they reached his home.
"And if you find that you need anything. and I mean anything, my quarters are right of there. It's the little door with the two swords engraved on it. And don't worry.we're the good pirates, they're all very nice people. Is there anything I can get you for now?" she asked sincerely when she had finished pointing everything out to the boy.
"Your name. I gave you mine, you saved my life and I don't even know your name. you intrigue me with your air of mystery. And how did a girl like you come to be a pirate?" He asked, a look of confusion consumed his features as the girl next to him began laughing.
"You could say piracy runs in my family, and that 'intriguing air of mystery' you speak of is sort of my protection. I mean, you gotta have something as a pirate that will keep you safe aside from the sword and pistol. As for my name. you may call me Bell, I shall give you no more or less of a name. So do not ask around either, I leave my name to secrecy for your own protection, too."
"My own protection? But I'm not in any more danger. am I?" He said as the barge gently swayed, a move that didn't appear to disturb Jezebel's stance, but knocked James to the ground.
"I feel that until your are safe on the ground of Port Langly. yes, danger is still around the corner. As for what danger that is. I know as much as you do. It is a nameless fear that if thought about for longer than a moment, well, then resting would be out of the question. But enough of that for now, you need your rest. I'll be in my room." While turning to retreat to her quarters, James scrambled to his feet.
"Wait, Bell. One more thing. if I may." When she turned back around he was nearly brought back to the floor by the overwhelming look of calm and patience written on the girl's face, with a gulp he went on. "Are you an angel? I've read about them, the ones that protect pirates and fishermen and the other sea explorers. Are you the angel of the Black Pearl?" Again she found his words humorous, but this time he understood why, he'd figured out her grand secret.
"Maybe. I've ne'er thought of that. But who knows? Maybe I am an angel and I just don't know it yet. Now, get some rest. you'll need It." Turning she began to laugh again.
"Well, I think you are. If my vote means anything, you are." He said as he sat down into the hammock and began to dream. "And if no-one else knows it yet. then you'll be my angel instead."
Behind the door to her room, Jezebel leaned against the wall. She knew that she couldn't get any closer to the boy, it would too dangerous. And so, for the remainder of the voyage to Port Langly, Jezebel had locked herself in her room, not to resurface to even say goodbye.
"Goodbye, dear James, perhaps we will meet again. in better times. Who knows, had I let us. we might even have been friends."
A/N: Thank you to those who have contributed reviews. I am glad to see that people enjoy my stories, and you have reacted very enthusiastically. Which for me was awesome. I felt all tingly inside * warmfuzzies! *
Anyway, sorry it took so long to put this second chapter up. and don't worry I have plenty more to write. A lot more POTC fun is still to come! The time between chapters might be longer than a week because school is getting closer and closer (dammit!) but I will write as much as I can, whenever I can.