Speaking of the Past by Taurus-Sparrow-0506

Chapter 12: The Way I Didn't Want It

A/N: Thanks for the review Kungfuchick. Do you stay online 24/7? I swear I put that story up at like 1:25 A.M. or something like that and by 2:03 you had reviewed. (I don't know exactly what time you reviewed but I checked at 2:03) I appreciate it though. I haven't been getting as many reviews lately but you ALWAYS review. So again thanks.

Original Max A: Actually school doesn't start until the 23rd but on the 19th they had a 7th grade orientation and the 8th graders could come up there to see the teachers and talk to the 7evies about the year they'll have. I over slept though and missed it.

"…slaves…whips…work…freedom…" These were the only words that Anamaria could hear in the conversation. What didn't they get?

She jumped up slamming her hands on the table. "Will ye quit it?! Th' both o' ye! Ye're not slaves anymore!"

"We'll always be slaves, Ana. We always belong to someone," snapped Claudia.

"Ye don't get it do ye? Ye've always been free. We're humans. Not some damned animals or somethin'. Ye don' belong t' anyone."

Hattie spoke up, having too long been quiet. "We've been branded Anamaria. We belong ta th' Forthes."

"No! Ye've been free from your first breath--"

"You're stupid Anamaria. Your notions of FREEDOM. It doesn't exist, not for us."

"Listen t' yerself! No one here belongs to anyone. I belong to myself, and you belong t' yourself."

"No Anamaria! They've tricked you. They've tricked ya into believing ye were free. They'll take what they want, I know it. They always get what they want." What the hell? No these were the most honorable pirates you would ever find and somehow that was what disturbed her for the moment. They were pirates after all. A ship load of 'em. They were accustomed to taking what they wanted. No! Why was she letting Claudia get to her like that? The girl was out of her mind and she was the one that was poisoned. There was such a thing as freedom and she had it.

"I've lived with these men for 7 years! They've ne'er touched me!"

"But th' cap'n has!" Why didn't Claudia believe Ana? This was the truth. They weren't notions. What would it take for her to realize it?

"Will ye get off o' that! It has nothin' t' do wit' anythin'!"

"Ya betrayed us Ana! Here with these white men! Ya--"

"Shut th' 'ell up Claudia!" If the crew couldn't hear them before then they definitely could now, seeing as she was shouting incredibly loud. Hearing her tone the girl only sat the with her mouth gaping open, wanting to say something but afraid to. "Ye're not me mother so I don' need ye tellin' me what t' do nor criticizin' me!"

"Criticizin'. Such a big word for a niggah ya know. Ya think just cause ya livin' wit' these white men that ya some sort a noble woman or somethin'," said Claudia in a sort of 'I know everything manner.' "Why don' ya court that other pirate?"

"Why? 'Cause 'e's got brown skin?" Claudia looked at her in a near smirk. Anamaria stared back running her tongue along her teeth, then shaking her head. It was a few moments of silence before either of them said anything to each other they only stared for there longest time.

Anamria gritted her teeth and looked at the steps leading up onto the first deck. "By mornin' we'll be in Port Royal. That's where we're leavin' ye."

"Us too?" asked Hattie not sure if she was just leaving Claudia to be rid of her. Anamaria nodded. So, all of them would be gone in the morning. "What are we going ta do? We ain't got no money! I have a boy ta take care o' Ana."

"All three o' ye will 'ave money t' last a while. But I have friends in Port Royal. Ye can find a job through 'em." They were shocked. She was just going to leave them on some foreign, Caribbean island?

"So ya gonna leave us jus like ye left Marcel?" And this sent Anamaria over the edge. The pirate walked over quickly to the girl slapping her with as much force as she could muster on the cheek. Claudia's head snapped to the side at the force of the impact, her hand came up to nurture her red and turning cheek. Claudia stood up straight slowly looking at Anamaria with cautious eyes. A shaky finger was put into the girls face.

"Ye better be ready t' go as soon as we make berth wench," she said before storming up the steps and towards her cabin.

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Anamaria stood a few feet away from the inside to the cabin door. The dagger hit the door with undeniable skill and aim, sinking deep into the wood. Why did she let Claudia get to her like that? She didn't know what she was talking about. She had always been able to get under Ana's skin. But Claudia knew nothing about her life especially the last 10 years. Ana couldn't help but wonder: Was she betraying her people? She was on a pirate ship with a large number of white men, there only being one other fellow darkie, Michael. She had befriended a white couple and was undoubtedly in a romance with a white man. But these were, in fact, mere coincidences. She hadn't chosen for it to be like this. Of course Ana hadn't meant for these things to happen. But they had and now Claudia believed that she had turned her back on her people, her culture, her heritage.

How could she convince Claudia if she couldn't even convince herself? She was turning her back on her people. Her culture wouldn't live on through her children—but it could. Though it meant leaving everything she loved; the crew, the Pearl, Elizabeth and Will …but most of all Jack.

If they could see through each other's differences why couldn't anyone else? He wasn't like most of them. Although Anamaria didn't know, Jack had seen the horrors of slavery, the Africans being ripped from their homes. People… being tortured and branded. All people were equal. That's what Jack believed. Besides when they were under the command of a captain or higher ranked official but they still deserved respect… they were humans, not savage animals.

Another dagger hit the door right above the other.

But she couldn't leave Jack, if all else she could never leave Jack. They were… in unspoken love with each other. And neither would leave the other. It didn't matter though; Claudia wouldn't make her change her life. The life that she loved and the people she cared about no matter what they were regarding sex, race, height. She wouldn't let her crawl in her skin. This was about Ana. Claudia didn't matter anymore. She would be gone in a day's time and she would have everything she wanted. Jack, Marcel…and freedom.

A/N: This chapter was sort of inspired by myself in a sense because I'm a black teenager but I've always loved rock music and I don't have much interest in hip-hop, rap and r&b unless it's Beyonce, who everybody likes or Kanye West or Alicia Keys. I don't have many white friends though but it's really only because out of 750 people at my school there were only 150 white people. My friends always call me a white girl and all that shit cause I'm into the whole punk-rock clothes and cuffs and because I really prefer white guys. (Johnny, Heath, Orlando, Tom, Ioan and Viggo for the most part) But whatever they can kiss my white ass for all I care.

That 'from your first breath' line is from King Arthur. I loved that movie! Arthur was talking to Marcus's slaves and he said… well I don't really remember exactly what he said but it was along the lines of "From your first breath you have all been free!" (If you know the exact line please tell me!)

I've actually been using a lot of movie quotes. In 'How You Remind Me' I used the line from Interview with the Vampire when Brad(Louis) told Kirsten(Claudia) that he made her a vampire. She said "You drank from me and he turned me into this. And I hate you both." That's not precisely how it goes but you get the point.

Maria Victoria says, "My father doesn't want to see me because I look like my mother and I hate him for it."

And in Another Day for the Sparrow I used the line from Lord of the Rings: the Fellowship of the Ring when Gimli was talking when they were walking in the Realm of the Lady of the Wood (I don't know what it's called so if that's wrong I really don't care.) Haldir says "The dwarf breathes so loud I could have shot him in the dark."

And then Anamaria says, "Ye step so loud I could 'ave shot ye in th' dark."

Yeah… Thanks for letting me ramble. I hope you liked it. Review! I need them really!