"Treasure Can Be Misleading"
"Another Port, Another Face"
Chapter 6
"You'll always remember this as the day, that you almost caught Captain Jack Sp―"
Before he could finish his sentence, Jack feel backwards over the ledge and down into the ocean waves below. Everyone looked down, Will and Elizabeth relieved to see he was all right. But Arcelia had been secretly wishing he'd hit at least one rock upon impact.
In the distance, the black sails of The Pearl peeked from behind a cliff and the ship headed pulled out to reveal its full self.
"Should we go after them, Sir?" one of Norrington's lackeys asked.
"I think we can afford to give them a day's head start," Norrington said, then turning and leaving the landing along with the other officers.
"Are you sure this is what you want? He is a blacksmith," the Governor Swann asked his daughter once again.
"No, he's a pirate," Elizabeth swooned.
Governor Swann shrugged, respecting his daughter's choice, and then turned leaving them to be alone.
Or so it might have been.
"Well, I better be off," Arcelia said, almost to herself.
Will pulled from Elizabeth's embrace and turned to face his sister. Arcelia could not help but smile as she stared at the perfect pair before her.
"You take care of him, Elizabeth. Keep him in line for me, all right?" Arcelia said, stepping forward and giving her friendly-sisterly hug.
Arcelia then turned to her brother.
"That goes for you too. And stay alive! I don't want to have to come gallivanting after you every time you get yourself into trouble," she pretended to scold him.
She held out her hand, shaking his, and then pulled him forward and hugged him tight.
"I'm going to miss you, you big idiot," Arcelia whispered as she stepped away from him.
With that, Arcelia walked over to the ledge. She flashed a brief smile at the two, then leapt off the edge and plummeted to the waters below. She also missed the rocks.
*~*~*~*~*
"Welcome back aboard, Miss Turner," Mr. Gibbs greeted her as he pulled her up on the deck.
"It's good to be back, Gibbs," she smiled.
Arcelia surveyed the ship's surroundings. Not an evil pirate in sight.
"I see you've decided to join us, eh?" Jack said, looking down at her from the bridge. "I take it this means you've changed your mind about my offer?" he smiled.
"Yes, I did grow up here after all. And no, I haven't changed my mind about 'your offer' and I have no intention to do so," Arcelia said with an idle flip of her hair. "Plus you should find someone remotely near your own age," she added.
"Suit yourself, luv. S' your loss," Jack shrugged, turning back to return to his duty of steering the ship.
As he walked away Arcelia could hear could make out the mumblings of an old pirate song, which she'd heard long ago as a child aboard The Pearl.
"So where has 'Our Captain' dictated we go?" Arcelia inquired Gibbs.
"Some port off of Spain called Carmel Harbor, or something like that," Mr. Gibbs described as he walked off. "It's supposed to be quite a place," he said.
Arcelia rolled her eyes.
"I doubt it. Probably going to be just like every other place I've been to," she muttered, crossing her arms over her chest and turning her head to look out at the sea.
*~*~*~*~*
It was five days and six nights before they reached Carmel Harbor, thanks to Jack's 'brilliant' navigational skills. Arcelia and Ana Maria went off to explore the seaside town, just to check out the surroundings and any 'business' prospects. Arcelia also insisted on making a stop at a blacksmith's. It had been a while since she'd had her weapons sharpened and cleaned.
When Arcelia was taking the daggers from out of her bodice, the blacksmith's eyes could have equaled the measure of dinner plates. Other than that little rarity, the whole town was almost identical to all the others.
"Come on, let's find somewhere to unwind," Ana Maria said, stretching her arms high above her head.
Arcelia nodded, taking her machete and daggers from the blacksmith, and following Ana Maria down the road.
Ana Maria only lost her peaceful composure when she and Arcelia were rudely called at by some off-duty British officers.
"You got something to say to me?" she hissed, putting both hands on her hips.
The officers ignored Ana Maria and took to ogling Arcelia.
"How's bout you show us what's under that garment of yours, missy?" one of them smirked.
"Fine then," Arcelia said with a sneaky grin.
Ana Maria looked at her as if she were mad. What was she thinking? She could get way better men than these sick navy rejects!
Arcelia reached down the front of her shirt, the officers hungrily staring at her in anticipation. She then withdrew her machete and charged at one of the officers, pining him against a wall of a building, and holding the blade to his throat.
"Is this what you wanted to see?" she asked with a Jack Sparrow-like grin.
The officer's face was horror-stricken, but eased considerably as he spotted something behind her. Arcelia didn't pay this any mind, but had to upon the touch of someone's hand on her shoulder. She turned her head to see it wasn't Ana Maria, or anyone remotely familiar for that matter.
"That's quite enough, Miss," the sharply dressed Lieutenant said sternly.
Arcelia could feel herself shrinking, just by looking in his face. This was ridiculous! He didn't look a day older than twenty-two!
Arcelia further examined his face, still in the state of inferiority. His eyes were a deep shade of blue, though still managing to stand out. His hair was jet black, tied back in a loose ponytail (as most men she'd met wore it). He looked to be an estimated six foot three, in comparison to Arcelia being six foot even he wasn't that much taller, but he still managed to inflate her vulnerability.
"Drop him, or I'll be forced to place you under arrest," The Lieutenant ordered, his hand still resting on her shoulder.
Arcelia reluctantly released the officer, who scrambled off to stand beside The Lieutenant for safety. Arcelia shot him a deadly glare, roughly shrugging away The Lieutenant's hand.
"I'm going to let you off with a warning, Miss. Don't let it happen again," he warned, turning on his heal and walking off back down the road with the officer right behind him.
Ana Maria hurried over to Arcelia, tapping at her cheek to awaken her from her stupor.
"Are you all right?" Ana Maria asked.
Arcelia shook her head, shaking off whatever had gripped her.
"Fine. Let's just get out of here," Arcelia muttered, casting one last glance down the road where The Lieutenant had disappeared, then walking along with Ana Maria back towards The Pearl.
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Author's Note :: Weeee! Chapter of the fifth is done! How do you all like The Lieutenant? I know I like him. :) In the beginning I didn't want to get into all the mess of how Jack escapes his hanging, so I just picked up where I did and I'm pleased with how it turned out. Now I can get more into the original-brand stuff of my story. ^_^ Hope you're liking it so far. And don't think I'm anywhere near done! I've got a new character for the crew of The Pearl to interact with, so this opens up much possibilities! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! XD Ahem… sorry 'bout that… ok- yeah. :P Normal routine: Read/Review/Flame (which is optional), savvy? ;)
