Author Note: My fellow writer, Mystress Daedra, has rewritten her Secret Window story 'Extenuating Circumstances'. So go check it out. It's very good!

Chapter 10

The Burning Island of Death was just that, an island of burning lava pits, fire swamps and volcanoes.

Jack, Ria, Jeremy, Dylan and Kea went ashore. They looked around with grim faces, all except Jeremy, who viewed it with round, eager eyes that were ready to explore. He struggled out of his aunt's arms.

"Jeremy, be careful," Ria called after him.

"Yes mama!" He yelled as he ran off.

"I'll go with him," Kea said, rushing to follow. Dylan went after her, leaving Jack and Ria alone.

"Jack, I do believe your little brother has a crush on Kea."

Jack glanced at where Dylan and Kea had just ran off too and said, "Aye, but a little more than that."

Dylan caught up to Kea and fell into step with her.

"I um-," he started, sneaking a glance at her.

"Dylan-," Kea said at the same time as him.

"No you go ahead," Dylan responded.

Kea sighed. Usually she was really good with words, but at the moment she didn't have any. Her mother had taught her how to be a lady of society while they had lived with her uncle. What had been taught to her seemed to be lost now.

She was tired; tired and angry at herself. Every night she had lain awake in the cabin Jack had given her and Ria to share – somehow he had known she was not going to share a room with his brother – he had been the forth most on her mind.

Kea groaned inwardly. Not only was Dylan causing her sleepless nights, she was starting to get all love struck like Ria. Besides, she was willing to forgive him. After all, she was not one to carry a grudge very long.

"I wish to apologize for my comments earlier. It was immature of me. Pressure has been put upon me to settle my father's murder."

"Kea, I only wanted you to know that I would never hurt you intentionally."

"'The road to hell is paved with good intentions'", Kea quoted. "But it is not good to dwell on the past. We, both of us, were very young. What do you say we start over?" She offered her hand for him to shake.

Dylan smiled and took the outstretched hand, but instead of shaking it, he leaned down and kissed it softly.

"Good morning, Milady. I couldn't help but notice your charm. My name is Dylan Sparrow, and who do I have the honor of addressing?"

"Her Grace, Lady Kea Renee Arthington, Duchess of Ashland," Kea replied while curtsying prettily.

"You're the first woman I have ever been tempted to kiss upon first meeting, Milady," Dylan admitted, his voice a bit husky sounding.

"I doubt that, but I hope I am the last."

"Oh, I have every intention of making it so," he murmured before lowering his head to kiss her.

The mood was unfortunately broken when they heard Jeremy squeal loudly. Quickly breaking apart, they rushed to him just in time for Kea to grab him before he fell into a hidden lava pit. In doing so she pulled a muscle in her shoulder. She carefully handed the boy to his uncle's waiting arms.

Holding her shoulder, Kea started to stand up when she heard the cock of a pistol.

"If you please, Milady, do stand up slowly," a voice ordered.

The voice was vaguely familiar, Kea thought, as she slowly stood up while holding her hurting shoulder and turned around. Just to find Ria and Jack bound and gagged with someone holding Jeremy captive; while Dylan was in the grasp of the one and only Ensign Fielding.

Kea winced inwardly as her shoulder moved slightly. Dylan may be strong, but the Ensign was bulkier and would take Dylan down if he tried anything. She looked at the gentleman who had his pistol trained on her.

"Sir Phillip?" She asked, slightly puzzled, as recognized the man who had served under her father in the war, before he inherited the title of Duke.

Sir Phillip hadn't changed much in appearance since Kea had last seen him. He was still medium height, with sharp weasel like facial features, and greasy dull brown hair. Kea wondered why her father had befriended him and what was he doing here after eighteen years?

Come to think of it, she thought, why hadn't he been at my father's sentence to exonerate him form the accusations of treason? Something was not right.

She suddenly recalled the investigator's report; her father's lands had been given to a Sir Phillip Linstrum, a distant relative. The pieces then fell into place.

"You killed my father; you wanted his land," Kea accused.

"Well, well, well, nice to see you again as well Miss Arthington," Sir Phillip sneered. "But you have it wrong; it was your uncle that signed the orders. I merely carried them out. Looks like your past has finally caught up with you." He laughed evilly; pistol still steady in his hand.

"What do you mean? My uncle had nothing to do in France, he is English. He could do nothing in the French courts." She rubbed her head to clear it of its now hanging cobwebs. "My past or my parents? For surely the sins of the father shouldn't fall upon the children, and as I recall, I have done nothing that merits me to have an unscrupulous past," she said calmly, despite the pain in her arm, head and frankly all over her body.

"What a nice speech, my dear," Sir Phillip mocked, "I am sure your father would be proud of you for making it. Ask you uncle when you see him again, he'll straighten you out on who's who."

"I daresay," Kea said through clenched teeth. "What do you went with me?" She asked with all the regality she could muster, as she straightened to her full height.

"You have a charming necklace I need," Sir Phillip stated simply.

"What makes you think I have this necklace? I mean, anyone else could have it, considering it's a much sought after thing and all. Or I could have sold it, too," she said, shrugging and wincing.

"Ha!" Ensign Fielding spoke up suddenly.

Kea turned to glare at him. What was he doing here with her father's traitorous friend and not back in Port Royal? When she returned there she would remember to talk to Norrington about it.

"Really, milady, I sincerely doubt that. Both of us know the significance of the necklace," Sir Phillip broke in.

"Oh yes, another curse needing to be broken. What is it with curses anyway? And how pirates seem to always be involved with them one way or another? I didn't know they were smart enough to know how to break them, let alone know one was placed on them. No offense to both Sparrow Captains."

Jack inclined his head to indicate no offense was taken and Dylan just shrugged. Jeremy suddenly squirmed, scared and wanting his mommy, but Ria stayed impassive, wanting to go to his rescue but knowing now was not the time. Nor was it time to help Kea, worse harm could be done then if she tried.

"For God's sakes, let Jeremy go! Can't you see he's scared? Or have any of you vile creatures have any decency? Oh, I forgot, pirates don't have any," Kea spat.

The comment earned her a slap on the face by one of the vile creatures. Dylan struggled to get out of the Ensign's grip, but he stopped when Kea held up a hand. She really didn't want anyone else getting unnecessarily hurt, she didn't know what Sir Phillip had planned, but it would be better for none of them to get hurt before he carried his plan out.

"And if I had it over, is there any chance of you letting us go?" Kea asked, though she knew it was pointless.

"None," was the answer she got.

"Very well then, I shan't hand it over." Another pointless comment, but the pain in her shoulder was becoming so unbearable that any wise comment would not form. As she said that someone came behind her and grabbed her arm. Pain exploded and she felt all the color drain from her face just before the blackness descended.

Jack, Ria, and Dylan were leaning over her when she woke up in a small hut that, she was told by the others, surrounded by lava.

"Yes, yes, I know, but antagonizing the antagonist is not a prudent thing to do," she groaned, struggling to sit up but fell back when a sharp pain shot up her right arm. She was helped into a sitting position by Dylan.

"I am more concerned with your arm at the moment," Dylan said. His hair was in his face and Kea wanted to reach up and brush it away but the pain in her arm stopped her.

"Where's Jeremy?" she asked, looking to Ria and noticing her tight features and tear stained face.

"Fielding too him," Jack growled angrily from where he was pacing the small room.

"Merde!" Kea cursed in French, forgoing the use of the milder word. "Ria, Jack, I'm sorry, if I had any idea this would occur I would not have asked you two to come."

"Never mind that, we'll talk about it later. For now, Dylan's right, something needs to be done about that shoulder," Ria said, struggling to contain her fear for Jeremy. Even though she loved her son, she was a practical woman and nothing could be done until they escaped. But she was amazed how Kea could hold on so long with out breaking down.

Little did she know how close Kea actually was to breaking down. Nothing had been going too well for her since she'd received Dylan's letter and the conflicting emotions about her uncle's part in her father's death didn't help.

She ached all over but the sense of duty that had been instilled in her kept her going, kept her from reflecting upon her own pain. She had to make it up to Ria and Jack for endangering their son.

She might as well accept it; it was her jealousy of the couple's affections that had made her kiss Jack in the first place. She wasn't as good as people thought. Funny how people have expectations in others, and if they are not careful they put too much hope in someone and it comes back to haunt them when the person fails. She thought ruefully.

How had she forgotten all her mother had taught her about what a true lady was? How had she gotten so conceited during the years? Why should she, a duchess in her own right, be jealous of a commoner? Because, Calandria Nerissa Morgan had found the love of her life, had forgone the life Kea had so ardently enjoyed, just for a man with humble origins of his own.

Amazing, how some circumstances make a person reflect upon their past, Kea thought as tears finally began to cascade down her face. She could no longer hold them back.

Ria, who had been sitting next to her, felt them hit her hand and looked at her friend with a new respect. Kea was finally able to show more emotions. Normally Ria never saw her cry over anything, and seeing her now made her realize how fragile her friend really was. She put her arms around Kea and held her as she wept.

Dylan and Jack watched the two. A year or two earlier Jack would have interrupted impatiently, but he didn't. Dylan on the other hand didn't know what to do. He wished Kea had turned to him for comfort, that she trusted him.

After a while, Kea pulled herself together and stiffly stood up. Jack had stopped his pacing and now stood next too Ria while Dylan gazed out the window. An uneasy silence hung over the four individuals.

Shaking her head Kea looked about.

"I must apologize to you all for getting you into this mess. I hope in time I can make it up to you." She smiled slightly. "Now, as tow of you so wisely suggested, we should look at my arm. While that's being done, I'm open to suggestions on how to get out of here."

Jack held up his index finger, a gesture he always did when he was about to make a suggestion, when the door opened.

"By the way, thank you for the use of the Black Pearl, Captain," Sir Phillip said as he walked in the room. Jack growled in response. "Ah I see you are awake my dear. The ship's surgeon though you might need something for your arm." He threw some bandages and dropped a bowl of water on the floor for her then bowed regally while saying, "Thank you for the necklace by the way, milady," he said as he shut the door again.

"Let me guess, he got the necklace while I was out of it," Kea said dryly as she stood up and started pacing. "At least he's not trying to insult our intelligence." The other three looked at her before comprehending what she was talking about.

"You're right," Dylan said. Jack and Ria now turned to him with questioning looks.

"Well? Think about it, he has made our escape almost too easy. It is like he is waiting for us to get free. Firstly, he didn't bind our hands, and secondly, he gave me bandages." He commenced pacing and Kea thought that it might run in the family.

By then Ria had gotten hold of the bowl and bandages.

"There's something I don't get," Jack said, speaking up.

Kea raised an eyebrow in interest as did the others as she continued to pace.

"How does this all fit in?"

Kea halted abruptly, and would have tripped if Dylan hadn't caught her. He looked down into her blue eyes as he reveled in the feel of her in his arms started his blood to stir. If he just moved in a bit closer….

Jack cleared his throat, bringing Dylan out of his thoughts, though he did not let go of Kea. Who was enjoying the warmth emanating from his body.

"Sir Phillip said this was al my uncle's doing. I think, at first the two were working together, until after my father's execution. After that, they parted ways. The attack on the fort was just a decoy to get Ria and me away while several spies came ashore. Somehow, they must have seen Jeremy and me in the market place and I made no attempt to conceal the necklace either."

"What is with the necklace anyway? I mean, Will had that medallion and all. Is there actually a curse?" Ria questioned.

Kea chuckled despite the situation. "No, no curse. I was just making that up. The necklace is the last key to some treasure. My mother said never to let it out of my sight; I have only just realized what she meant. As for my uncle, once everything is done I'll have to sail to England and confront him."

"What about Jeremy?" Jack and Ria asked at the same time.

"If I am not mistaken, he is with my uncle."

"But how? Who is that Ensign working for?"

"Lord Alexander Austin, Viscount of Devlin."

"Huh?" Jack grunted.

"My cousin, on my mother's side once removed, my uncle's son." She stepped away from Dylan's warmth. "He was away at school which is why you never met him Ria." She rubbed her temples and began to pace once more.

"Kea!" Ria called, putting an arm out to stop her.

"What?"

"Your arm."

"Oh." She smiled sheepishly and allowed Ria to look at it again while discussing a plan of action.

Now, as Jack was fond of saying, they had to wait for the opportune moment.

Alright so this chapter is done. Sorry for the delay, 'twas my fault, I was just lazy so my apologies to you all.

Remember to please read and reply!!!!!