Lilmissmiss: you try being chipper when you are captaive. She is usually really sweet and junk, but when you are held prisoner on a pirate ship with a damnable captain(thats what she thinks), then yes, you would start being a bit cruel. But she will change her tune soon enough. And no...she wont get together with Will, that I can say.

Chapter three

Everyone was gone. Everyone got their freedom. Everyone was loved, and had money. I was the only one left on the damnable pirate ship. And the one person I hated passionately in the whole world was there too.

Captain Jack Sparrow.

The first mate, Mr. Gibbs I think his name was, got his cabin back, and I had to sleep below...With the men...in a hammock. At every oppertunity, I would ignore the arrogant captain. He was smug that he had a captive on board still, that wasn't rich enough to be ransomed back. I knew my father would be worrying that he hadn't a letter from me by now...and that alone made me hate the captain even more. In fact...I loathed him. There were no other words to describe my content. Everyone stayed away from me, and I think they thought I was possesed or something.

I was possesed...With anger. I had pleaded to the somewhat decent Will, asking if I could go to the other ship, and retreave my clothes, and maybe see some of the crew members that were still in the brig. I was desperate to know if James was still down there, or if he had his freedom payed.

And it was a cold and dreary day, that Will came up to me, his hands full with a bundle.

"I spoke to the captian," He said, depositing the bundle in my arms. "And he agreed, that you should have your own cabin. So, youll be back in the first mates cabin. He wasn't too happy, but he is a good man never the less. Even though I could do all this, the one thing that the captain absolutely refused, was for you to return to the Sea Mermaid. He said there are no more people left, and that you would be wasting your time." I said thank you, and went into my new cabin. Relief flooding me. I was tired of the jeers I would recieve down below. And I was tired of the swaying hammocks. I was just plain tired.

/\

There was a knock at the door. I looked up from where I was sitting on the bed. I quickly threw the covers over what I had been looking at, and straightened up, just as the captain came in.

"What were you doing?" He asked, his eyes narrowed.

"Sleeping." I said easily. He circled me, his dark eyes searching.

"You know, most prisoners wouldn't have a whole cabin to themselves. They would be lucky not to be thrown in the brig. But no. You, for some reason. You think your special. Even though you are not a great lady. I know you are poor, Mack, I saw your clothes. So don't go giving me airs." He grabbed the sheet on the bed, and ripped it off. There laying on the bed were about six or seven things, not my own.

"So, we have a little magpie aboard, don't we?" He said. His voice was silky, and every muscle said dangerous.

"A what?" I asked, backing up a bit.

"A magpie," He said shortly. "A bird who likes to collect shiny things for their own pleasure. Tell me, what sort of sick pleasure do you take when you pick-pocket these things from other people?" His voice was now hard. His eyes cold as stone. I was afraid of this man.

"Its not for pleasure!" I said, biting my lip. "Its for money. You don't know what its like having to work so hard for food, that you cant even enjoy it! You don't know what its like having your small and most prized pocessions stolen from you. Because you are the people who take away honest and hard worked money. You are the type of people who kill mothers, and say it was their fault for getting in the way." He rushed forward and grabbed my arm.

"You better watch your damnable tounge, missy. Don't you ever, ever accuse me of killing a mother. She was sick the whole time, but you failed to notice. I am not as mean and heartless as you think I am. We are just people. Like you. Trying to survive in a hostile world that wont take us." I yanked free of his grip, glaring.

"You are not at all like me. We will never be alike, Sparrow. You lot are a pack of murderers. You are not even people. You are heathens. And you should all burn in hell!" I spat at him. I was so angry, I spat in his face. I imeadeately regreted what I did.

He stood there, and silently pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket. While he was wiping his face, he spoke:

"You are now unable to leave this cabin. A guard will be outside your door at all time. You cannot even use the loo without someone there. You said we are heathens, then I suppose you wont mind if we start acting like them." He strode our of the room, emiting quiet fury. I sank down on the bed, and pulled out the little bauble. A minute later, a man I rarely had seen around, came in, scooped up the blanket with the things, and walked back out.

I jumped up as he left, and tried the door, but it was locked. I screamed, and beat on it, but no one came.

My damn temper got in my way...and now I was worse off.

/\

"Dinner!" I looked up from where I was sulking, and saw Will come in with a tray, laden with food.

"Wow...am I going to die tomorrow? Is that why I am getting so much food?" He laughed and set the tray down on the desk, and sat down next to me on the bed.

"So, whats going on?" I let out an almost maniacle laugh.

"Whats going on? I dunno where to start, cant you just see all the people flocking to me, entertaining me. Is it possible to die from massive amounts of attention?" I gestured wide about the cabin.

"Mackenzie, dont." Will said, an odd look on his face. "I know you hate it here, but there is nothing else to do. Maybe if you were a bit nicer to the captain, he wouldn't be so harsh. He is only doing this because of your temper. He says it needs to break." I stared down at my bare feet.

"I have a right to have a temper. Look at me! I am being held captaive by one of the most queer and insane crew out in the water. Where are we even going? Are we just floating around, waiting for another ship to attack, and more people to kill and humiliate?" Will stood up, and before leaving, he turned around.

"We are going to Tourtuga, if you must know." And he left.

I stood up and looked at the food given to me. I was quite amazed. I picked at it a bit, then layed back down on the bed. I was fastly losing weight. I used to be almost plump, but now I was skin and bones. My once shiny and full hair had lack of luster now, and despite the unbearable weather that had snapped into heat, and sun, I was pale as ivory. I got up and found the small mirror in my bundle of things. I looked horrible. I was never really pretty. My dad said it was my charm that attracted all the young men. My usually bright black eyes were dull. I was no longer the same Mack. I was changed. And I even felt something deep inside me snap, along with the weather. I was changing. Just like the maniac captain wanted me to. But I would never let them break me.

/\

It was almost a week after Will had come to see me and tell me about going to some strange place called Tourtuga, that the captain himself came in.

"So, has Miss. Mackensy earned herself a trip to town?" I stayed quite, but inside, I was fuming.

"Ah, so she doesn't speak. Well, Mack, I think that you should stay here this time. But remember, there will be more times." He left, and as soon as I was certain everyone but my guard and the people guarding the ship were off, I slammed a pillow in my mouth and started screaming.

Being able to go anyplace, well I would kill to at least get off this ship. A town, and a place, that was freedom dangled before me. I could have escaped the watchfull eye of the captain! But no. He knew what I would do. He wanted to keep me around until I would be meek enough to stay at his side while we waltz through the streets.

Two hours after they left, Captain was back, this time with five large boxes in his arms, and he could barely see over them. He had a grin on his face. Not a smirk, or anything with malice, but a grin that said plainly 'I am giving a child a gift, and now they shall like me,' He put the boxes on my bed.

"Here, thought you might like these. They were gotten with honest money." I slowly walked towards the bed, and pulled off the lid to the first box. I gasped. Inside was two dresses, both equally stunning. One blue, and the other green. I pulled off the lid to the second box. More dresses. The third box had underthings in it. The fourth box had shoes. And the fifth. I opened it with reverance. Inside was a simply a silver plated little box. I pulled it out, and opened it. There was a hair brush, a mirror, and a set of matching combs. I set it all down, and turned to the captain.

"Thank you," I said humbly. "How did you know what size? Did you just make them up?" He looked guilty.

"I still have one of your dresses. I have a good friend in a dress makers shop, she always has a few dresses already made up, and I showed her your little one, and she took it in. I didn't get them hemmed though, to match yours. Because as you can tell, your dress is almost to your ankles." I looked down and he was right.

"How was it honest money?" I asked, looking at the shoes.

"I won it in a poker game." I looked at him and saw he was serious. I laughed. I actually laughed.

"In a poker game? What would have happened if you lost?" He threw his head back and laughed. Not the same laugh that I had heard before, a mocking sort of cackle. This was a most joyfull laugh. I was amazed that we were having a civil conversation.

"I never loose at poker." He said, and left. When he shut the door, I noticed that he didn't lock it. I sat down, and stared at the things I had been given. I couldn't believe the beauty in it all. This man had some taste, I had to admitt.

A small pitter errupted in my heart. Something small, that almost went unnoticed. I ignored it, and started trying on everything.