Chapter 4

The Lies

Saihrena stood on deck of the Pearl watching the sun rise. There was little movement on deck, as the night shift of the Pearl was less than during the day, but soon the shifts would change and men would be roaming the beautiful, black ship. Saihrena had never seen a ship like the Black Pearl before, the wood was so dark it was almost black, and the sails were a deep black, it was breathtaking really.

She had been on the ship a little under a week watching over Rakasha and helping Gabriella cope with her newfound freedom. The pirates on the ship were rather nice, for pirates anyway. Gibbs had become a fast friend, as had Ana Maria, and Jonathon. The others treated her as another crewmember, and had come to realize that she was a hard worker and a fast learner. It had only taken her two days of doing nothing to become exceedingly bored and she had immediately charged up to the crazy Captain and told him to give her something to do. He had smirked at her in his usual way and had a bucket and mop and ordered her to swab the deck. While the Captain was a little, okay more than a little rough around the edges, he was a decent man, and quite handsome. After their first encounter she had made up for lost time by gazing at him regularly. He had a strong bone structure, and eyes that she sometimes found herself getting lost in they were so dark. It had taken a while but she had finally gotten used to his inane hand gestures that he continually used.

"Beautiful, aye?" A voice from behind her asked, breaking Saihrena from her thoughts.

"Yes, very," she mumbled, turning to see the object of said thoughts. "Good morning Captain."

"Mornin Rena," he smirked back, the whole ship had taken to calling her by a pet name after Jack got drunk the second night on the ship and declared her name was too long, he had done the same to Rakasha and Gabriella too dubbing them Kasha and Gabby. She smiled up at him.

"How long until we reach Spain?"

"Prolly bout a month or so, wind permitin," he said, making her gasp.

"That's all? It took the ship I was on over two months, and we had been much closer than Spain," Saihrena said.

"Aye, but the Black Pearl's the fastest ship in almost the world luv, much faster 'en any slaver ship," he declared. "Why so anxious te be off me ship? Dun' ye like ol' Jack?"

"No, no, nothing like that, I just miss home."

"Oh, so ye like me then eh?"

"Well, I-I suppose so Captain..." She mumbled uneasily.

"Well why din't ye say so luv? Ye know there's an empty cabin that we could use," he said, suggestively raising an eyebrow.

"Well why didn't you say so Captain, I mean if only I had known that I could be alone with the infamous Captain Jack Sparrow then I would have jumped at the chance, alas I have been wooed by the charms of Gibbs and now am lost to you," sarcasm was dripping from her voice as she said this. He blinked at her in surprise, before a smile took over his face.

"Why me dear I do believe ye have been hanging out with pirates much te long," Jack said with a laugh.

"More than likely Captain, now if you will excuse me I have some things that need to be seen to." Jack nodded and she slowly walked away from him, swearing his eyes were on her the entire way. When at first Jack had begun to proposition her Saihrena hadn't known what to do, but after a week of it, non-stop, she had become quite accustomed to it and began to enjoy it somewhat. Sometimes she had to stop herself from just giving in to him, he was so incredibly handsome. Saihrena walked off the deck and down the stairs into the galley. Jonathon was there finishing breakfast. She liked Jonathon, he was very sweet, handsome, and completely the opposite of Jack. Jonathon had short, white blonde hair, emerald green eyes, and a light complexion. He smiled as she walked in.

"Got the trays almost ready fer ye Rena, I'll help ye carry em up in a moment," he said, and went back to arranging food onto three trays. She waited patiently until he was done, then picked up one of the trays and walked to the Captains cabin with Jonathon following behind. Jack had been rather nice and declared that he would give up his cabin for the three lovely girls to stay in until Rakasha had recuperated enough to be moved. She knocked on the door and waited for one of the girls to say enter before leading Jonathon inside and laying her tray in front of Rakasha on the bed.

"Thanks Rena," she said in Indian, still not accustomed to speaking English. While all of them knew English they had rarely spoken it while with the Sultan, and so easily reverted back to their native tongues.

"Anytime Kasha."

"Hello Jonny," Gabriella said as she took one of the trays from him. "It's good to see you." Saihrena watched her friend blush as her fingers met his when she took the tray and knew something was going on. Jonathon couldn't take his eyes off Gabriella, and Saihrena wondered if Gabriella would be staying aboard the Pearl after she had been dropped off in Spain.

"And ye Miss," Jonathon mumbled, his cheeks turning as red as Gabby's. Saihrena looked at Kasha knowingly. "I should get back te work, the rest o the crew be wantin their breakfast soon." He retreated quickly, and after the door shut firmly behind him Saihrena pounced.

"What was that all about?"

"What was what all about?" Gabriella asked defensively.

"The way you two looked at each other," Rakasha broke in, speaking in French in between mouthfuls of the delicious food.

"I don't know what you are talking about," Gabby said, and turned to her own breakfast. Saihrena glanced at Rakasha and shrugged, they couldn't make her talk, yet, but they both knew they would.

"Land-Ho," Saihrena woke to a voice shouting, followed by the sound of feet scurrying around on deck. It had been a month, and Jack had told them last night that they would reach Spain today. Saihrena rose from her cot and rubbed her eyes. After two weeks of stealing the Captains cabin Jack had kicked them out, declaring that Rakasha was healed enough to be moved into one of the other cabins, one with three beds. Saihrena stepped out of bed excitedly and glanced around the room only to see Gabriella missing as usual. She had been staying in another small cabin with Jonathon as of late, and she knew her predictions of her friend staying on the ship would come true, Gabriella had told them last night that Jack had okayed it. She had no family and no home to go back to anyway, and had even been learning to swordfight. Rakasha still couldn't walk to well, and normally opted to stay in their cabin to walk around rather then try to make it up a flight of stairs.

"Do you want to go up and see? I could get some one to carry you," Saihrena asked.

"That's alright, I'll go up later. We will still be on this ship for days you know."

"Yes, I know. Jack has to send some one to my brothers castle to collect the ransom first, and then we will both be leaving." Saihrena sighed softly, wheather because she was leaving, or she wouldn't be able to leave for some time yet she didn't know. She had become quite close with Jack, and would miss him dearly, not to mention her attachment with the crew. She had grown quite fond of them all, and she would deeply miss Gabriella. Sighing again she turned to Kasha, "I'm going up on deck, try and get some sleep I'll be back when I know something." Saihrena raced from the room and up the small flight of stairs to stare at the land in front of them, to stare at her home. She had never seen anything so beautiful in her entire life.

"'appy te be 'ome luv?" Jack asked, placing a hand on her arm.

"Very," she whispered, watching as they neared Spain's coast.

"'ow long ye been away?"

"Almost two years Captain, a long time to be away from home, and with people that mean you harm."

"Aye, well I'll be off, must steer her into port," Jack said, she felt the loss of his warmth, and heard his boots clinking off towards the helm. She would miss Jack, more than she cared to admit, but at least she was away from the Sultan.

"I take it by that faraway stare that you are ready to return," Gabriella said walking up and standing next to her.

"And I take it from your faraway stare that you're ready to stay," Saihrena murmured, motioning towards Jonathon. She turned to her friend and quickly embraced her, ignoring her bright blush. "I will miss you, do try and visit sometimes."

"And I you my friend, I will try to talk the Captain into coming and seeing you from time to time, he might not be as adverse to the idea as you would think."

"Yes, well, he is always welcome in my home for saving me, even if I had to bribe him to do so," Saihrena smirked, watching her friend closely.

"I should go help in the galley. I'll see you later Rena." Saihrena nodded, and watched as her home came closer and closer, they would reach port in a little over an hour. With that knowledge in mind she set off to retrieve breakfast for herself and Rakasha, and spend a little time with her two closest friends.

"A man is here to see you; he says his name is King Raul Senire'. He wants to meet with you right away," Saihrena woke up to Gabriella shaking her and shouting. It took a minute for what she was saying to register, and once it did she bolted up and dashed around her cabin, trying to find something suitable to wear in front of her eldest brother.

"I cannot believe that he actually came himself, I thought he would send one of his sentries, oh I have nothing proper to wear, what am I going to wear?" She mumbled and cursed as she threw clothes around the floor. They had been waiting for almost two weeks for information from the castle, no one seemed to know what was going to happen. Jack had ordered the crew to stay on deck after the first week, wanting to leave as soon as possible, but now some one had finally arrived, and her brother no less.

"Rena, calm down. Wear that green dress hanging in the closet; I'll go inform him you will be right out. Take a deep breath," Gabriella soothed, and quickly left the cabin. By this time Rakasha was up and watching Saihrena closely, but wisely stayed quiet as she retrieved the gorgeous green dress and donned it. The dress was the color of a forest in summer, a very deep dark shade. It had no pattern and was quite plain except for the lace around the edges. The dress was silk, and beautifully cut, it was a masterpiece. Once her dress was on and Rakasha had tightened the laces that ran up the back, she braided her hair and twisted it up onto her head, holding it there with pins and dark green combs to match her dress.

"You look beautiful Rena," Rakasha whispered with a smile.

"Thank you Kasha, I will be back once everything has been settled. Saihrena nodded to her friend and departed the small cabin. After the door closed she leaned against it and took a few long, deep breaths to calm herself. Once she felt calm enough she walked, ladylike, up the stairs to meet her brother.

"Dearest Raul," she started as she came up the stairs, but quickly stopped as she looked at the man in front of her. "Who are you, you are not my brother, where is Raul?" She asked, anger flashing in her eyes at the deception.

"Whatever do you mean, and why are you speaking to me this way, I am royalty, you will address me as Your Highness," the man pretending to be her brother spluttered.

"You are not royalty, nor are you Raul Senire', and I will not address you as either," she protested, walking to stand beside Jack who had been conversing with the imposter before her approach.

"Well I must say that you do know what I look like, for you were not fooled by my double, but you are not my sister," A man drawled from behind her. Turning she saw him standing there, her eldest brother and King of Spain, Raul. He was walking up the gangplank watching her. Bodyguards surrounded him as he stepped onto the pirate ship.

"Brother, do you not recognize your little sister?" She asked, walking towards him, a smile plastered on her face.

"My sister died at sea over a year ago on a voyage to meet my brother, I have men that swear it," Raul said, stopping and staring down at her with a look of distrust and hatred.

"Brother, those men sold me to a ship of slavers who in turn sold me to a Sultan. I am home now, do you not recognize me?" The entire time they had been speaking in Spanish, making the pirates on the ship furrow their brow in confusion.

"You are not my sister, I suggest you and your pirate Captain leave Spain immediately before I decide to attack this vessel," Raul said, then turned and left. The man masquerading as her brother began walking after him, but stopped uncertainly when he reached Saihrena. Saihrena was staring open-mouthed at her brother who had just denied her; he had told her to leave Spain, her home. Tears began to swell in her eyes, and one by one they fell down her cheeks. Seeing this, the double made his decision.

"Saihrena, I know you," the man whispered, making her turn to stare at him. "Listen, I do not have much time. Do not trust your brother; he was the one that sent the slavers after you. Leave here quickly, you must tell John. If you make it to him you will be safe." The man quickly turned and sped off the ship after saying this. As the man walked down the plank a sudden shot rang out, and Raul's double fell off the plank and into the ocean below. Jack wasted no time.

"Raise anchor, turn us around," he yelled, racing to the helm and taking control. "Unfurl the sails, now we need to leave." Another shot rang out suddenly, and a man fell from the riggings. Saihrena's head was still whirling from what the man had just told her. As the ship was quickly turned around and set out to open sea a cannon ball shot rang out in the air, and narrowly missed the Black Pearl which was already too far away to be hit. Saihrena stared at Spain, her home, as it became smaller and smaller. An hour and a half later Spain was nothing but a dot in the distance.

"Miss Saihrena," Jack yelled, pulling her from her thoughts.

"Yes Captain?" She whispered through the knot in her throat, her cheeks were still stained with tears, though she didn't remember when she had stopped crying.

"We need te speak in my cabin, now," he ordered, and she nodded and followed him into his cabin. She had some explaining to do, and hopefully Jack would be willing to listen.

I would like to apologize to everyone for this chapter taking so long. And I want to thank you all for the wonderful reviews. But I know that there are people reading this who have yet to leave me a review, come on, you can do it. Just a little something like, I'm enjoying this story, or I think you should change this, or anything. Please? Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, and I promise to have the next one up quicker!