DISCLAIMER: I do not own any original plots, characters, themes, ideas of anything from "Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl". All I own is everything in the story of my own creation.
Chapter Five: Captain Lynn Swallow
Diane stepped onto the chalky ground of the Tortuga port and instantly knew that this was a town of which she would disapprove. Carrad was to escort her to the bar in which she would find her sister. Diane was thankful for his company.
The remainder of the voyage was enjoyable. Diane spent her two days upon the Black Maiden in the company of one Joshua Cambell, helping him with preparing the meals and cleaning up. She was grateful for the fact that they had arrived in Tortuga when they did, as the wind began to pick up and the clouds blanketed the sky. Carrad said that it would only be a small storm but did look violent so it was good they were docked.
It was midday when Diane was lead up the main street of Tortuga so there was no one on the street. Hidden in the corners or dark alleys were prostitutes and drunken pirates a sleep from the activities of the previous night, or early morning. The sun illuminated the dull grey walls of the pirate town and made the puddles of rum sparkle. A few of the bars were open as were a cluster of convenience stores.
The main square of Tortuga was lined with pubs, which had balconies over looking the square, large kegs of alcoholic drinks, troughs of muddy water lined the streets and bodies lay on the dusty ground. Tucked away between two large bars and behind an old amber willow door was the Flapping Mermaid. Carrad lead Diane through the old door to reveal a large room with a bar lining the back wall and many tables scattered over the floor. Light darted across the room through the large window right beside the door and many girls dressed in scandalise clothing were cleaning and rearranging the room. There was a door next to the bar leading out to the back of the pub and along the side walls of the bar were wall lamps and on the left wall was a peculiar painting of an eye. Sitting at one of the tables at the far end of the room was a pirate. Diane couldn't make out his features.
As they moved closer Diane recognised the jaw line, the shoulders, the long blond hair, the amber eyes. Katherine Lynn Damascus did not lift her eyes she continued to study the grooves on her rum mug and ignored Carrad and Diane. Carrad swerved towards the bar and let Diane continue to her speak to her sister. Diane hesitantly sat down opposite her sister and fidgeted with her wedding ring.
"What are you doing here?" Lynn said, not looking at her sister.
"I need you help," Diane said, trying to be as calm as possible. Her sister could smell fear from a mile away; she knew that.
"You shouldn't be here, it is dangerous, go home; play socialite," she said bitterly.
"Don't take that type of attitude Katherine," Diane said motherly. Why was Katherine so bitter? She seemed to genuinely miss Diane in her diary entry.
"Katherine, that is a name I haven't heard for a while," she paused, "Please, don't insult me by using that pathetic name," she spat looking up at her twin for the first time. Every outline in their face was the same.
"It was our mothers name, you could at least honour her by honouring her name," Diane said hotly.
"She left us! And didn't even take us with her! Why should I honour her?" Lynn said hurt.
"She gave us life, that should be enough to honour her by," Diane said softly in Spanish.
"Oh you insult me even more! How dare you speak in that language to me!" Lynn said with anger, almost yelling.
"Katherine, you need to lower your voice, it is not polite. I am not insulting you I am honouring mother. Now listen to me," Lynn turned from her sister, pretending not to listen, "Listen to me Katherine, I need your help. I protected you so many times from father with out asking anything in return. It is your turn to help me," Lynn, grunted signing that she was listening. Diane smiled triumphantly, "I need you to help me find my husband,"
"What?" Lynn bellowed. She stood up and threw her chair to the ground, "You have a husband? What is the meaning of this? First you insult me but using that despicable name, then you speak in Spanish and now you tell me you are married?" She was going red with anger.
"You have in contactable for seven years Katherine!" Diane yelled matching her sister. Lynn stormed out of the pub and onto the streets of Tortuga. Diane was in close pursuit. "Please, Katherine, I need your help more than anything," Diane, pleaded in Spanish. They were now in the main square. Lynn had her back to her sister she faced the water, the wind was picking up.
"Do you remember how mother taught us Spanish when father was away on his voyages to England. He was a representative of the Port Royal navy so he was always gone. It was heaven," Lynn said in Spanish softly. There mother Catherine Maria was Spanish and their father Jonathan Damascus was English. They met whilst he was in Spain, fell in love, got married and had two baby girls. After the moved to Port Royal Jonathan began to loss interest in his wife. Claiming that she put a love spell on him, and as a result of his disinterest often left her in a country where she didn't speak the language and was all alone with two daughters to be with his English whores. She taught her children Spanish in secret – Jonathan forbade her to speak it.
"And how father made us learn French, the only language that he could speak to mother in fluently," Diane paused, "He always had fights with her in French,"
"Yes and then one day she left. She was tired of being bruised and battered by him; she just vanished. Left us all alone with father – the man hated us!" Lynn shouted in Spanish turning to her sister, tears in her eyes.
"And then you left, we were sixteen. I never saw you until now," Diane said softly, like a song. After taking the abuse for sixteen years Catherine left, leaving Diane and Lynn. Lynn left soon after and became part of a small accord, which she gradually grew up in until she became a pirate captain. Diane stayed behind, was doted on, married and when her father died she was all he had.
"I have missed you," Lynn said running to her sister and embracing her. Diane smiled kissing her sister's head.
"I have missed you too,"
"I will help you find your husband," she said softly as everyone around them began to wake up.
Rosemary was in the middle of her dinner when the storm hit the Black Pearl. The ship violently tipped one-way cause many to fall off their chairs, including Rosemary and smack against the floor or wall. The food and drink slid off the table and crashed on the floor as well. When the ship seemed to right side itself Will grabbed Rosemary and guided her to her cabin.
"Wait here until the storm is over. I am not going to lock to door, just in case," he said and slammed it behind him. Rosemary looked around the small room. There was her bed, which was attached to the wall on one side of the room and her dresser and desk on the other side. They both were rooted to the floor however her chair had been tipped over and smashed against her wall. She ran over and tried to secure as many things as possible including her washbasin and chamber pot. The huge waves caused the ship to lurch once again sending Rosemary onto her bed with a thud. She curled up in the corner on her bed holding tightly to the rails on her bed head and prayed the storm would be over soon.
Some time in the night Rosemary must have banged her head and passed out for when she woke the next morning she didn't remember anything. She found herself on the floor hurting everywhere whilst the utensils from her drawers were strewn across the floor. She slowly got up and cradling her most certainly sprained wrist she opened her door and walked up to the deck. Men were scrambling all over the ship cleaning and repairing. Many were in their dorms with bandages wrapped around them. When she went up deck workmen were fixing broken planks, sewing holes in the sails, repairing and cleaning. Jack and Will were on the quarterdeck talking fast whilst Jack barked and order ever now and again. Rosemary slowly made her way up the stair wincing with every step. Will saw her over Jack's shoulder and ran to her side. He gently hugged her making her moan in pain.
"What happened to you?" He asked a worried look on his handsome face.
"I got battered around a bit last night," she said with an effort.
"What happened to yer arm," Jack asked running over to the two of them.
"I don't know, captain. I can move my wrist I think I may have sprained it," she said slowly trying the move it with out any luck.
"You, go get Dr. Munroe," Jack yelled at one of the men hammering a railing in place. He nodded curtly and ran off. "Come sit down, Will go get some fresh water," Jack said leading Rosemary to a bench next to the wheel.
"Thank you. How long until we will be ready to set sail again?" Rosemary asked as Jack sat her down carefully.
"Who knows, the storm was short lived but rough, we got battered around a bit. Hopefully we can set sail tomorrow morning. But then again ye never know a few men have been wounded and supplies are beginning to run dry," Jack said worried.
"It will turn out alright sir, you will see," Rosemary said sweetly. Jack smiled at her innocence.
"Ah here is Munroe. Can ye please check this young miss's arm please," Jack said standing up and walking away. Will kneeled beside Rosemary with clean water whilst Dr. Munroe sat on the bench next to her. Rosemary followed Jack with her eyes, he was off to be a captain some more.
"Lets see now, ah…right, can you bend…not you can't. Try to move your fingers…okay…okay just relax. Looks like you have broken you wrist we will put a splint in and wrap you up tight with bandages so that it can repair itself," Dr Munroe wrapped Rosemary's wrist and forearm tight inserting a thin wooden plank below and on top of her forearm to keep it in place. He then wrapped it up in a sling, "Every so often try to move you fingers a little bit, and in about a week I will check on it. In about six or seven weeks your wrist should be fine to unbandage," he said smiling.
"Thank you very much doctor," Rosemary said. He got up and went below deck to tend too more injured men.
"You need some rest, I will get you some thing to eat and then you can have a sleep, okay?' Will said leading Rosemary to the gallery. It was a complete and utter mess, you could barely walk through it. She ate gratefully and was led back to her room where her arm was propped up with pillows and she slept till late afternoon.
When she woke up the sun was hovering low in the sky. There was a light breeze and the men working on deck were relaxing, laughing, drinking – enjoying themselves. Jack stood on the quarterdeck alone, trusty bottle of rum in hand, singing to himself. Rosemary walked up the stairs to the quarterdeck with less pain than her previous journey and wandered to Jack.
"I think tonight would be a good time for ye to sing for the crew, their spirits are a little down," he said smiling to Rosemary. She nodded silently. Something about her made Jack feel different, her smile would light up a room, "Come watch the sun set with me. It is the favorite part of me day," he said guiding her to the railing. He handed her the bottle of rum and she took a swig. It was a sharp taste, but she drank it anyway.
"I told you my story Captain, what is yours," Rosemary said handing back the bottle then resting herself gently against the railing watching the great ball of gas disappear from the sky.
"My story is far to complicated, perhaps another time," he said stiffly.
"You can trust me you know sir, don't be afraid to trust people," Rosemary said mystically.
"I have learned to trust only a few people, so many have sold me out," there was a pause between them. It was a welcomed silence as the two just watched the sky darken. From somewhere below dinner was called.
"Well Jack Sparrow, you need to learn to trust more easily, it could save your life," Rosemary said very out of character. She quickly regained herself and scuttled off down stairs head bowed. Jack watched her as she went. Rosemary did sing after dinner that night, she sang a lullaby.