Chapter 2: The Streets of Tortuga
Tortuga was exactly how Will remembered it. The streets were filled with all manner of people, touching, drinking and having a jolly good time.
"So let me get this straight," he said, sidestepping a drunken whore looking for some fun. "We drop anchor on the backside of this island, row into the harbor, find a place to bunk for the night, buy provisions with what little money we have, and come tomorrow morning, we row back out to the ship all the while trusting that the Pearl will not be spotted by any part of the Royal Navy?"
"Aye." Jack scanned the streets, looking for any girl that might come up and slap him. "The first place the Commodore is going to look for the Pearl is on the Isla de Muerta."
"Because of the gold?"
"Yes." Jack directed the group into a dimly lit tavern where the bartender ushered them into a private room.
Elizabeth sat in the seat between Jack and Will. She slid her arm around Will's waist, and immediately apologized when he grimaced.
"I'm alright." He took her hand in his. "Honest. The bullet only nicked me. In a couple of days, I'll be as good as new." She nodded. "I worry too much. I'm sorry."
"There's nothing to be sorry for." He kissed her passionately until he realized that the room was watching them.
"What are you staring at?" Elizabeth demanded, glaring at every single pirate.
Jack grinned. "You've the makings for a fine pirate, love."
"Me? A pirate? That's absurd."
"Why?" Anamaria asked as their drinks arrived. "An' don't tell me it's because you a girl."
"No, it's not because I am a woman." She took a sip of her rum, something she was growing increasingly fond of. "There are many reasons. I can't fight, let alone kill. I know barely anything about ships, and therefore cannot sail."
"And yet you stood your ground when faced against Barbossa," Will interrupted.
"Ye had a cool head when Jack here was at the gallows," Gibbs added. "Ye'd have done much to save our captain."
"And I've never seen another female give orders in a battle like you did when the Interceptor was giving chase to the Pearl." Anamaria smiled. "You know much about ships. I never would have thought to shorten the distance between to ships and surprise the enemy."
Elizabeth blushed at Anamaria's compliment. These people were her friends, pirates or not.
"You have the makings for a fine pirate, love," Jack repeated. "Will you join us?" He held out his hand.
"Will?"
Will sighed. "I was a pirate in blood and now I am one in mind."
"Very well." She gripped Jack's hand with a force she didn't know she possessed. "You teach, I learn. DO we have an accord?"
Jack returned her grip and was pleased when she didn't flinch. "Agreed."
The room broke out in cheers as glasses were banged together. Elizabeth downed the rest of her rum in one gulp. Jack clapped his hands.
"Well done, lass," Gibbs said, refilling her mug. "Lesson one, learning to drink like a pirate. Ye've passed with flying colors."
"Aye, that she did." Jack waited until after the serving girl had left the food before continuing. "Well, mates, everyone here now has a choice to make. That blasted Commodore is going to be hot on our heels. He'll come after us with a force much worse than Barbossa's."
"Because of me." Elizabeth dropped her head. "If I hadn't joined you and Will and stood against Commodore Norrington, then you would all still be safe."
"Nay, missy," Gibbs disagreed. "Norrington would still be after us simply because our captain is Jack Sparrow. That Commodore doesn't like his plans being changed, especially if it involves Jack not losing his head."
Elizabeth nodded. "Perhaps."
"Don't worry, love. I've the best crew in the Caribbean, that is if they don't want an out."
"What do ye mean, Captain?" Gibbs asked, setting down his tankard of ale.
"I ain't gonna lie to you. We got a long haul ahead of us and I won't stop anyone if they want an out."
The crew grew dead silent. Nobody knew what to say. They all knew the danger that would be soon in coming, but nobody was prepared for Jack's proposal.
Anamaria slammed her mug down onto the table. "Jack Sparrow, that's fools' spit. The Commodore'll be nothing compared to Barbossa, of that's I'm sure. I'm staying," she finished after a slight pause.
"As are we all," Will agreed.
More drinks were passed around, this time in a somber silence. It was late into the twilight when the crew disbanded, some to go in search of good times, others in search of a comfortable bed. Soon, it was only Jack, Will and Elizabeth walking through the busy streets.
Jack led them to a house close to the harbor and knocked. The house was lit, but there was no movement inside.
Jack knocked again and finally yelled, "Get off your lazy arse and open the door!"
"Jack don't," Elizabeth pleaded. She swayed gently, the rum having given her a pounding headache. It was only Will's arm that kept her from falling over. "They may not be home. Most people are still out and about as seems the custom in. Torogo? Tomoga?"
"Tortuga, darling. Tortuga," Will corrected.
"Oh. Tortuga."
Jack continued to knock, completely ignoring his companions. Just as he was about to give up and walk to the nearest in for a room, the door opened. Out of the shadows, a hand snaked into the light to slap Jack across the face.
Holding his still-throbbing cheek, he said, "Hello, Lacey."
Tortuga was exactly how Will remembered it. The streets were filled with all manner of people, touching, drinking and having a jolly good time.
"So let me get this straight," he said, sidestepping a drunken whore looking for some fun. "We drop anchor on the backside of this island, row into the harbor, find a place to bunk for the night, buy provisions with what little money we have, and come tomorrow morning, we row back out to the ship all the while trusting that the Pearl will not be spotted by any part of the Royal Navy?"
"Aye." Jack scanned the streets, looking for any girl that might come up and slap him. "The first place the Commodore is going to look for the Pearl is on the Isla de Muerta."
"Because of the gold?"
"Yes." Jack directed the group into a dimly lit tavern where the bartender ushered them into a private room.
Elizabeth sat in the seat between Jack and Will. She slid her arm around Will's waist, and immediately apologized when he grimaced.
"I'm alright." He took her hand in his. "Honest. The bullet only nicked me. In a couple of days, I'll be as good as new." She nodded. "I worry too much. I'm sorry."
"There's nothing to be sorry for." He kissed her passionately until he realized that the room was watching them.
"What are you staring at?" Elizabeth demanded, glaring at every single pirate.
Jack grinned. "You've the makings for a fine pirate, love."
"Me? A pirate? That's absurd."
"Why?" Anamaria asked as their drinks arrived. "An' don't tell me it's because you a girl."
"No, it's not because I am a woman." She took a sip of her rum, something she was growing increasingly fond of. "There are many reasons. I can't fight, let alone kill. I know barely anything about ships, and therefore cannot sail."
"And yet you stood your ground when faced against Barbossa," Will interrupted.
"Ye had a cool head when Jack here was at the gallows," Gibbs added. "Ye'd have done much to save our captain."
"And I've never seen another female give orders in a battle like you did when the Interceptor was giving chase to the Pearl." Anamaria smiled. "You know much about ships. I never would have thought to shorten the distance between to ships and surprise the enemy."
Elizabeth blushed at Anamaria's compliment. These people were her friends, pirates or not.
"You have the makings for a fine pirate, love," Jack repeated. "Will you join us?" He held out his hand.
"Will?"
Will sighed. "I was a pirate in blood and now I am one in mind."
"Very well." She gripped Jack's hand with a force she didn't know she possessed. "You teach, I learn. DO we have an accord?"
Jack returned her grip and was pleased when she didn't flinch. "Agreed."
The room broke out in cheers as glasses were banged together. Elizabeth downed the rest of her rum in one gulp. Jack clapped his hands.
"Well done, lass," Gibbs said, refilling her mug. "Lesson one, learning to drink like a pirate. Ye've passed with flying colors."
"Aye, that she did." Jack waited until after the serving girl had left the food before continuing. "Well, mates, everyone here now has a choice to make. That blasted Commodore is going to be hot on our heels. He'll come after us with a force much worse than Barbossa's."
"Because of me." Elizabeth dropped her head. "If I hadn't joined you and Will and stood against Commodore Norrington, then you would all still be safe."
"Nay, missy," Gibbs disagreed. "Norrington would still be after us simply because our captain is Jack Sparrow. That Commodore doesn't like his plans being changed, especially if it involves Jack not losing his head."
Elizabeth nodded. "Perhaps."
"Don't worry, love. I've the best crew in the Caribbean, that is if they don't want an out."
"What do ye mean, Captain?" Gibbs asked, setting down his tankard of ale.
"I ain't gonna lie to you. We got a long haul ahead of us and I won't stop anyone if they want an out."
The crew grew dead silent. Nobody knew what to say. They all knew the danger that would be soon in coming, but nobody was prepared for Jack's proposal.
Anamaria slammed her mug down onto the table. "Jack Sparrow, that's fools' spit. The Commodore'll be nothing compared to Barbossa, of that's I'm sure. I'm staying," she finished after a slight pause.
"As are we all," Will agreed.
More drinks were passed around, this time in a somber silence. It was late into the twilight when the crew disbanded, some to go in search of good times, others in search of a comfortable bed. Soon, it was only Jack, Will and Elizabeth walking through the busy streets.
Jack led them to a house close to the harbor and knocked. The house was lit, but there was no movement inside.
Jack knocked again and finally yelled, "Get off your lazy arse and open the door!"
"Jack don't," Elizabeth pleaded. She swayed gently, the rum having given her a pounding headache. It was only Will's arm that kept her from falling over. "They may not be home. Most people are still out and about as seems the custom in. Torogo? Tomoga?"
"Tortuga, darling. Tortuga," Will corrected.
"Oh. Tortuga."
Jack continued to knock, completely ignoring his companions. Just as he was about to give up and walk to the nearest in for a room, the door opened. Out of the shadows, a hand snaked into the light to slap Jack across the face.
Holding his still-throbbing cheek, he said, "Hello, Lacey."