Chapter seven: Branded
(Month later)
"Wake up!" Else jumped at the loud voice. She looked up through large metal bars to her captor. He was a thin reedy little man who possessed too much strength for his own good. She only heard him called as Smith, an unlikely alias.
"I wasn't asleep." Else said wryly. Smith gave her a sour look, then produced a key.
"Your letting me go then?" Else stood up as best as she could, though the cage she was in wouldn't please a kid in height.
"Not likely. You are going were you belong."
"That would be home then." As soon as the metal door was open, she got a ready smack. She was used to it, being smacked around whenever she opened her mouth, but all the comments were just screaming to be said.
"You have no home, wench." Smith grabbed her by the wrist and drug her along through the building. Else had no clue where she was. All she knew was that she was in a dank cell, and she had some vague memories of being on a ship, but those could have been age old.
"So, jolly sir, where to now?" She asked lightly as she was led out of the building. They definitely weren't in Port Royal anymore. Else recognized the dreary skies and huddled streets of Portsmouth, England.
"Are you always so insolent?"
"No."
"Then what do you call it?" Else looked up at him. His jaw line was rugged, and looked harsh with no forehead to speak of, and full cheeks.
"Good manners is all." She said after a moment. They were quite as they made their way to the rural part of the place. He took her up to a familiar house, and tapped twice on the door. It opened almost immediately, and Smith threw Else inside, slamming the door behind her.
Else turned around, and tried the knob, but it was locked.
"Welcome home, Miss. Bronston." Else turned sharply. A maid was standing in the entryway and bobbed a curtsey.
"Thank you, Mary."
"Your room is ready." She curtsied again, then left. Else stared after her, an eyebrow wryly raised. She took in the dark house. Its rick mahogany floorboards and wanes coating making it seem later. Only noon, the kerosene lamps were burning in their brackets on the dark blue walls. She noted how even though the furniture was in the same place, it looked newer, richer, then she remembered.
"Dear Oleandra!" Henry Bronston greeted his daughter robustly, coming out of the drawing room that came off from the left side of the entryway.
"Hello Father." Else's father came towards her, hands outstretched. He gave her a small peck on the forehead, and ushered her into the drawing room.
(Night Else left)
"Go find her then!" Jack said quietly...too quietly to Bill. "I don't care if you have to search every single house in Jamaica...just bloody find her, or find out where she is...NOW!" Bill nodded, saying nothing and walked out of the captain's cabin. Barbossa was standing in the corner, looking with disgusted eyes at his captain, who was hung up over a mid-wife. When Jack turned to him, however, his face was perfectly blank.
"Barb?" Barbossa nodded. "I need you to go into port and find out more information to do with the island, and treasure."
"But..." Barbossa looked quizzically at his captain. "I thought you said–"
"We are going there. Its just in case Else shows up tonight, or you happen to run into her. I want her to think we are still considering it. But we are going." He gave a wave of his hand, and Barbossa walked out, rolling his eyes about Jack. He shut the door rather hard behind him as he left, and stalked all the way into port.
(Present time)
"Oleandra, I really wish you would touch your food." Else looked across the long table at her father, who was frowning at his daughter. Dutifully, knowing nothing good could come from not eating, Else speared a few pieces of meat onto her fork, and ate.
"So, if you still live here, why were you in Port Morant?" Else reached for her glass, the brand on the top of her wrist stretching the scabs and making her wince in pain, nearly dropping the goblet.
"Left." She took up the glass in her left hand. "I was looking for you, Daughter. Not to mention, I was looking for land for a sugar plantation."
"Best place to look for that would be Kingston." Else smiled. She hated him so much, but when she tried to escape once, he had slapped a slave brand on her, so she was bound to him, no matter how much she liked it. If she spoke any word outside of kindness, she would get a sound lashing. So, the best thing for her to do, was simply do as her father wished.
"I was planning on going there next." Henry agreed. The four candles on the table flickered, though there was no breeze. Else set her fork down with a clatter, at the sound of dishes breaking in the kitchen.
"Damn that maid." Henry jumped up, shooting a warning look at Else. He quickly exited the room, into the kitchen just out to the right.
Else itched to stand up, and maybe leave the room, but no. She couldn't. She was now his property. If she was caught, and they saw her brand...she could either be hanged at the owner's preference, or get beaten to a bloody pulp by the owner.
(Two weeks earlier)
"I need your help." Jack hated saying it. In fact, he had tried four times, and only managed to barely whisper it.
"Why?" Brandy was smirking at Jack. That damn smirk he would have liked to smack off, but he needed to stay on her good side. They were standing on the deck of Brandy's ship, the Achilles.
"I just do." Jack gritted out, not happy. "One of my crew members has jumped ship, and they were kidnaped." Brandy's eyebrows shot up. She set down her pistol on the deck, and kicked it away from her.
"Who?"
"Remember Else?" She nodded. Of course she remembered Else. The woman who so brazenly strode on her ship, and demanded that Jack be let go. She respected, and resented that woman.
"Yes."
"Then will you help me?" Brandy looked up at the darkening sky. She saw the first star appear in the velvety sky, and sighed.
"I suppose."
(Present time)
Else suddenly looked up when someone stormed through the door.
"Jack!" Jack walked in haughtily, as if he owned the place. Before she knew what he was doing, he grabbed her up out of her chair, knocking it backwards, and started pulling her towards the door. Else let out a gasp of pain as his tight grip seized the burnt skin. He stopped suddenly, and pulled up her dress sleeve. He cursed, but grabbed her other arm and started walking again.
"I don't want to go with you!" She yelled as they burst outside, finding her voice.
"Too bad. Unless you want to stay there as his slave forever, I should think you want to go with me." They reached the docks in record time, and soon Else was holed up in the captain's cabin. She turned to glare at Jack, however happy she was to see him.
"Why the hell do you care? You got your treasure. Im sure Brandy is a better...lover...and a lot more exciting!" She threw whatever out there she could think of. But instead of being outraged, Jack threw back his head and roared with laughter.
"You honestly think that Brandy and I had a fling? She is just sore with me because mum and dad liked me better."
"...Mum...and dad?" Else was confused now.
"Well yeah." Jack wiped his eyes, still chortling. "Brandy is my sister, dolt." Else never felt more like a dolt in her life.
