Speaking of the Past

Chapter 8: Without a Flaw

By: Taurus-Sparrow-0506

Anamaria sat in the uncomfortable silence on the wagon as Jack steered the reins. She felt as though she should say something to him. But what did she have to say? She didn't have anything to say to him and obviously he didn't have anything to say towards her. She let her thoughts wander, thinking about the plantation and the people there. Hattie and Claudia, one of the mulattos, Derrick the boy she had fancied 10 long years ago, Elise, Celeste… She wondered what they were like now. Were they even still alive? Every part of her was hoping they were but most of her wanted to know, first and foremost about Marcel. Was he still alive? What did he look like? How did they treat him? Had he been sold? So many thoughts flooded her head it was almost overwhelming her.

Anamaria hoped that if… no when they did bring him back to the Pearl he wasn't frightened, well at least not too much. To have no fear would be daft and ridiculous. A ship full of white men, dirty white men at that. That would surely shock the boy and make him afraid. She was saddened as another thought came to mind. What if he didn't like Jack? Anamaria was his mother and Jack would be his new… father of sorts. It did make her uneasy to think that he wouldn't like Jack or probably be terrified of him. Of course there wasn't much to be terrified of. Ana knew that, the crew knew that and Jack knew it but Marcel wouldn't know that. She sighed seeing the town they were coming through, Concerd. They weren't very far now and it was already around 10:00. The town was filled almost as Tortuga or Atlanta would be on a night like this. But of course Tortuga was much dirtier and there were the lot more strumpets.

"I hate it here," she muttered adjusting herself on the seat as one of the whores gave her a maniacal glare.

"Jes like Tortuga luv," Jack said taking a glance at the woman next to him.

"Never liked Tortuga much."

"Strumpets?" he inquired.

"Wenches," the woman said in a hostile manner.

"Don' worry luv. Ole Jackie's not gonna run off with one o' these mainlan' strumpets."

"Ye can wipe that smirk off yer face Jack, 'cause I'm not. Worried that is," she crossed her arms with a huff.

"Don' get so upset. I'm serious ye know. I'm not gonna leave ye. If I wanted t' I woulda done it a while ago," he watched as she uncrossed her arms to put them at her side as she sighed.

"I know Jack is jes that… I'm afraid ye know? What's gonna happen after we get him? What if he doesn't want to come with us?" She asked in a soft voice.

"Why would 'e wanna stay on a bloody slave plantation?"

"I know but… most slaves tend t' stick together. If they leave they won' go alone." She pulled her jacket closely around her, looking at the moon.

"There's room in th' back luv."

"But where are they gonna go? Slaves want t' go north t' freedom. We're definitely not goin' north, unless I"ve lost me sense o' direction an' the Caribbean is north."

"There's safe places in th' Caribbean. I'm sure they can fin' a decent job."

"I'm sure ye're right Jack."

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Jack and Ana both checked for their hidden daggers after jumping off of the carriage. "Gibbs," Anamaria said opening the door. "Gibbs ye drunken sea urchin. Get up," she said a bit louder. The old sailor woke up with a start.

"Time t' go," he announced more than asked getting up out of the carriage to sit at the driver's seat.

"Aye, that it is me boy. Ye know what t' do?" Although Gibbs nodded this did not reassure either of the pirates before him.

"2 miles north of this point here. We're one mile from the plantation now. So ye should be a mile past it," said Anamaria watching the older man warily.

"Anamaria, I said I knew lass."

"Somehow that doesn' make me fel better."

"Come on Maria we don' have all night," Jack said tugging at her arm. She watched as Gibbs made his way north, in the direction of their meeting place.

"Aye that we don't."

They had finally found their way to the slave cabins after a half an hour. Anamaria crouched low to the ground motioning for Jack to follow her into the first slave cabin. She took out a dagger and holding it went to the first woman she saw sleeping on a straw mat. She clamped a hand over the woman's mouth placing the dagger at her throat. The woman immediately woke up from the feeling of the rough fingers on her face, afraid and shocked.

"If you try to scream…or bite me I'll cut yer throat." The slave woman nodded timidly and Anamaria took the hand from her mouth but not the dagger. "I'm looking for a boy, 'is name's Marcel." The slave's eyes widen in shock.

"Anamaria?" she questioned. "It's been ten years we didn' think ya'd be back fer 'im."

"But I am here. Where's 'e at?"

"Three cabins down," she said before suddenly noticing Jack behind her friend. "Who is that?"

"This is me… friend Jack. He's here t' help me."

"But he's white," she whispered even quieter than they had been before.

"He's a good man Hattie. Won' do no harm I swear t' ye."

"You've been away with him this whole time?"

"No' th' whole time but--"

"Sorry to interrupt ladies but we really don' have all night. We need t' fin' th' boy an' leave fer they have all our asses."

"He's right. Hattie, come with us. Ye'll fin' safe passage in the Caribbean. Ye can fin' a nice job an--"

"The Caribbean? Tha's south of here? What are ye doin in th' Caribbean?"

"I'm a pirate," Hattie was again shocked at Anamaria.

"Ladies again I really must insist tha' we get goin," announced Jack leaning forward over Ana's shoulder.

"Wha' 'bout Claudia and me boy?"

"There's room but how old is th' lad?"

"7." Hattie answered.

"Okay. Get ready. Don' bring much though. We'll be back," she said pushing Jack out of the cabin.

Anamaria spotted the little boy on the floor. Even in the dark she could tell he had light brown skin and a light shad of brown hair. She moved over to him quickly and quietly Jack still standing by the entrance of the rundown cabin. She clamped a hand over his face as well alerting him awake.

"I'm here t' help ye lad. You're Marcel aren't ye?" the boy nodded slowly. "I'm Anamaria." she slowly took her hand away from his mouth ready to snap back if he screamed.

"My mother?" he asked uncertainly.

"So I reckon they told ye about me?" he only nodded again.

"They told me tha' my momma was a woman named Anamaria. Said you ran away," Ana only nodded and smiled.

"Do ye have anythin' t' take wit' ye? Anythin' o' value?" He shook his head in response.

"Only a few clothes."

"Ye bes bring 'em. It'll be while b'for we make it t' th' Caribbean." Marcel looked at her in wonder.

"Well common lad we don' have all night," he scrambled up from the mat getting together the few clothes he had.

"We're ready Jack," he nodded leading the way for the two of them to follow back to the first cabin.

"Stay here," Ana said cautiously making her way into the cabin. Are ye ready Hattie? Claudia!" She rushed up to give the girl a hug.

"I missed you Ana," said Natasha into her shoulder.

"I missed you too. Are ye ready t' go?" the three of them nodded. "Well common then. Be quick but deathly quiet."

"Okay Jack. Les go." With a nod from Jack the 6 of them made their way quickly around the western borders of the plantation. It didn't take long for them to make the 1 mile journey to where Gibbs was seated with the carriage. They all smiled in relief and Anamaria finally got to hug the son that she hadn't seen in 9 and a half years.

The plan had gone without a flaw.

A/N: I know I shouldn't have left it there but the time here in Maryland is 2:18 A.M. and I'm on (multitasking) and I feel like doing the Jack Sparrow thing to all of those people who had fan encounters with that sexy Orli after I get about 8 hours of sleep! (You know when Elizabeth burns all the rum and he's doing all these crazy things with the gun behind her back. But I'd probably actually shoot them!) I promise to have a chapter up tomorrow. Or maybe even later today!