Pearl of the Sea
Chapter 7: The Spanish Princess
Seeing Jack Sparrow and a woman in drag being marched down the street at gunpoint by a member of Blackbeard's crew wasn't something a person living in a small port town in Venezuela saw everyday. Hence the fact that once the baker spotted the pirates he ran and told the blacksmith (adding a few embellishments of course), who then in turn told the butcher, which led to the butcher telling the barkeep at a local tavern, which ultimately lead to Gibb's catching wind of quite the story.
Apparently, Jack Sparrow, the most fearsome and dashing pirate in the Spanish Main, and the Princess of a small kingdom in Spain, who was forced to disguise herself in men's clothing for safety, were being forcibly dragged down the street by the entirely of Blackbeard's crew.
Now Gibbs knew Jack was capable of amazing feats and extremely daft decisions, but kidnapping a Spanish princess in less than three hours? Something wasn't right and, by God, he was going to find out what.
After relaying the story to a few crew members, Gibbs managed to create a makeshift search party. Once they had searched every tavern, brothel, and dark alley and found no signs of Jack or Spanish royalty, they became rather distraught. Maybe Blackbeard had killed them, or was in the act of killing them. Soon the entire crew of the Black Pearl was marching down the main street and questioning everyone they saw. After receiving nothing but negative remarks from the townspeople, they started toward the docks. That's when a call from the back of the group rang out and everyone let out a sigh of relief. There, on the gangplank of Blackbeard's very ship was the captain and the first mate looking like they were just emerging from battle. Jack's coat had been spared, and since AnaMaria's shirt was in tatters in the brig, Jack lent it to her. His shirt still hung off his shoulders sadly, shredding and dripping with blood in the back.
"Cap'n Sparrow! Oh thank God, yer alright!" Gibbs said, running up to Jack, the crew not far behind. "What 'appened to yeh?"
"I's a long story." Jack said, before wincing and letting AnaMaria finally pull away from him and stand on her own. "Get me to Pearl, patch me up and I'll tell it to yeh."
"Aye Cap'n." Gibbs said before turning and ordering the crew to get the long boats and head back to the Pearl.
"Before we leave," Gibbs said turning around. "Can yeh just tell me why AnaMaria's wearin' yer coat, what happened to yer shirt and where yeh took the Princess?"
"Ana's wearin' my coat because her shirt was unable to do its proper job due to the fact it was torn to pieces, my shirt is in its present condition for the same reason, and-" Jack paused, his brows knitted in confusion. His mouth opened and closed a few times as if he was going to say something, but he never did. Ana finished the sentenced for him.
"What bloody princess?"
"The one from Spain." Gibbs said simply, his eyes darting from Ana's to Jack's, and Jack suddenly nodded.
"Oh yes, the Spanish princess." Jack cleared his throat before continuing. "She didn't make it through. Tragic really, she was rather young."
AnaMaria was staring at him like he was insane and Gibbs lowered his head for a moment of silence for the poor girl before sighing and hurrying off to join the rest of the crew on the beach.
"Liar," Ana said with a grin on her face. She used one hand to hold the jacket shut and the other tried to keep her balanced while she hobbled down the beach.
"I don't have any idea what yer talkin' 'bout," Jack said in response, a grin spread across his features too. "We tried to rescue the poor girl, but, as I said, tragically, she was lost."
"Tell me Cap'n Sparrow, how did she go?" Ana said, her eyes narrowing.
"Long story darlin', dunno if we have the time." Jack replied sharply, his eyes had a mischievous glint to them. "All I c'n say is that it was fated."
"Fated?" Ana picked up her pace. The faster she walked the sooner she was back to the Pearl and the sooner she was feeling better.
"Aye," Jack said with a nod, his pace quickening as well. "She was fallin' in love with me, as most women eventually do," This warranted a snort from Ana. Jack didn't even seem to notice. "The sea was jealous, naturally-"
"Sure, of course, naturally," Ana's sarcastic tone cut though the air as they reach the boats. "Lemme take a stab at what 'appens next aye?" She paused, one boot in the boat the other on the beach. "A giant wave came up from the sea and engulfed the poor girl, ultimately causing her death. You jumped into save her, naturally, but of course the sea had stolen her forever."
"You said it not me." Jack said with a grin before stepping into the boat and finding a seat in the front. Ana shook her head, a grin playing at her weathered features, before she too found a seat amid the crew.
"Listen up yeh blasted buffoons!" Jack's voice cut through the air. "When we get back to the ship all hands are to be on deck! We need to make an immediate..." He paused, his hands fluttering in mid air. He almost said, 'escape' but that would have implied that they were frightened and well, that just didn't suit him. "Disappearance," There, now that word fit perfectly. "From this strip of land and it'll take all we've got to get the Pearl movin' in these tides, savvy?"
"Aye!" The crew responded, before someone shouted and all the boats shoved off, each one floating gracefully toward the dark ship.
"Where're we goin' Cap'n?" Duncan asked, his small frame moving back and forth as he rowed.
"Port Royal." Jack replied not even looking down. He had a distant look in his eye which made him seem worn out, although his bloody shirt might have been the major cause of such an appearance.
"Port Royal?" Duncan said, his eyes widening. "If yeh don't mind me askin', what the bloody hell for?"
"I made a deal with a blacksmith."
The wind lightly swept across the island, the moonlight casting shadows across the land. More and more stars seemed to pop out in the sky every minute and as Elizabeth Swann rolled over in her bed, unable to sleep for the fifth night in a row, a hooded figure crept through her father's garden. Their footfalls were silent, their face hidden from view; a completely unknown man to the world around him, but he seemed to know where he was going quite well.
He came to a stop under the girl's window, his dark eyes peering up at the cold pain of glass before-
PING.
Elizabeth sat up with a start, her golden hair tumbling down her back and her dark eyes wide. The house seemed to creak and moan in the wind, the trees outside shuddered as another gust fluttered though them, but otherwise the world was completely silent. She stared into the darkness, her mind wander onto all the horrifying things that could have cuased that small noise.
PING.
Hesitantly, Elizabeth rose, her nightgown falling to her bear feet, and tiptoed to the window. She fumbled clumsily with the lock before, with shaking arms and wobbling legs, she swung it open and peered down.
"Will!" She breathed, her heart leaping in her chest. "You scared me half to death!"
William Turner lowered his hood, his dark eyes sparkling and his mouth upturned into a smile. "I figured I could either scare you or wake the entire household by using the front door. I didn't think your father would have appreciated that."
Elizabeth laughed before waving down to him. "I'll be down in a second!"
Her heart raced as she tiptoed down the hallway, the floor boards creaking as she went, and down the stairs. Her feet turned to frozen bricks as she crossed the cold tile floor, in through the kitchen, and out the side door; carefully shutting it without a sound behind her. She seemed to fly across the wet grass, her feet becoming covered in the long green blades, before she finally saw him. Her breath caught in her chest before she let out a deep sigh.
"Will," She breathed and he turned, his dark eyes meeting hers, before they were both running to meet each other. It had been days since they had seen each other, Will being caught up at the forge and Elizabeth still catching up with friends and acquaintances who hadn't been to see her since the adventure. When someone is young and in love, days seem like years and when the two finally met, their arms were around each other faster than either could blink. His lips pressed to hers and the rest of the world melting around them.
But of course, all good things must end, and finally, when they pulled away from each other, Elizabeth asked what she had been wanting to since she say him in her garden.
"What are you doing here?" Her eyes never left his and his hand rested on her cheek, a smile playing at his features.
"Can't I come to see the woman I love?" Elizabeth smiled and started to respond when Will put his finger to her lips. "I must confess, I do have some other buisiness to talk about."
"A ha! I knew it!" Elizabeth punched him lightly on the arm, a grin stretching from ear to ear. "Well, what is so important that you are throwing rocks at my window?"
"Jack's coming back," He whispered, his eyes scanning the area as if he expected a thousand marines to appear and arrest him. "I made a deal with him when we were on the Dauntless." Elizabeth's smile faded and she looked Will over quizzically as he spoke. "He said that if he and I worked together and he won his ship back, he'd let us come aboard."
"Come aboard?" Elizabeth said, her eyes wide. "Will, you mean-"
"Become pirates!" He said with a smile. "Find freedom and adventure Elizabeth! Think of it!"
"Will," Her smile was still not back and she shook her head lightly. "What about my father? Norrington! Imagine the horror when he captures us and has to hang me!"
"Don't let Jack hear you say that, he'd take it as an insult to his captaining abilities." Will said with a slight smile.
"Oh, believe me, Jack is surprisingly less of a god than you think." Elizabeth said, he smile slightly returning. "But Will, you're not kidding? You, me, the sea? Forever?"
"Forever." He said, his arms wrapping around her once again.
"How long have we until he arrives?"
"Two weeks."
The moonlight swept across the water, illuminating the deck of the dark ship that slowly moved through the sea. Lanterns swung lazily as the night crew busied themselves with the necessary tasks to keep the dark beauty sailing. The rest of the crew had gathered in a small group on the deck, some engaging themselves in a game of poker, others fiddling with a few instruments.
The sound of a penny whistle floated through the air and the first mate, who donned a fresh shirt and bandages, turned and smiled a sad smile at her fellow crew mates. A half empty rum bottle swung from her right hand as she leaned against the railing. Ever since that morning's run in with Blackbeard, AnaMaria had been rather passive. She had been lost in a sea of her own memories and she had begun to lose hope in her theory that if she drowned herself in rum instead of that dreadful dark water of reminisces she would forget them all. She began to lose hope of ever forgetting.
"Full house boys, pay up." Jack laid his hand on the table to a collection of groans from the rest of the crew.
"Yer a bloody cheater." Duncan said, pulling a few coins out of his pockets and pushing them across the table. "No one wins every time by pure luck."
"Until yeh catch me in the act, I won't allow any accusations to be made against me, savvy?" Jack said with a grin, before taking the small brown cigarette out from between his lips and emitting a small line of smoke. A slow melancholy tune began to fill the air from Cotton's fiddle and, as Jack placed his cigarette back between his dry lips, he noticed a certain person missing from their small group.
Crimp began to deal the cards and Jack waved him off. "I'm sittin' this one out, boys. Give the rest of yeh bastards a chance to win." He grinned before grabbing a bottle of rum out of the pile, and making his way across the deck toward his first mate.
She heard his boots on the planks, but pretended not to notice or care. Jack leaned against the railing next to her; his full bottle hanging from his fingers seemed to counteract her half empty one.
"Somethin' botherin' yeh Ana?" Jack's voice was soft and gentle, something Ana was not accustomed to. His attempts to sound comforting only made her uncomfortable.
"Don't talk to me like yer afraid I might break. I'm not made of glass." She quipped before taking another sip from her bottle.
"Alright," Jack said, popping the cork out of his bottle and watching it float away from the ship. "What's wrong; yer drunk, passin' up a chance to cheat in a poker game, and worst of all yer quiet."
"No need to be an ass."
"Apologies." Jack said before flicking his cigarette into the water and then taking a swig of his rum. "So yeh don't want me to be nice to yeh but yeh don't want me to be an ass, so what do yeh want me to do?"
"Leave me alone to drink myself to sleep."
"That I can't do." He said, pointing with one of his ring clad fingers and then turning to look at her. "Yeh see, if yeh fall asleep where yeh are, you'd fall overboard, and then I'd have to jump in and get yeh cause ye'd be too bloody drunk to save yerself on yer own, and then I'd be all wet and I'd have to change me clothes for the second time to today. Yeh see, that situation just doesn't end well."
His useless chatter did summon a small smile from the depths of AnaMaria, but it wasn't at all a happy smile. The corners of her mouth turned toward the stars above, but a certain sort of sadness crept into her features, and it didn't go unnoticed by her Captain.
"Did yeh ever meet my father Jack?" Ana asked suddenly.
Completely caught of guard by the random question, Jack didn't know how to respond with anything but a simple, "No, can't say I did."
"Not a very good man, me father, but not a bad one either." She said with a distant look in her eye.
"Stop talkin' in circles Ana, yer staring to sound like me." Jack said before talking another sip of his rum.
"Me sisters were 'is pride and joys. 'e loved those two like they were angels sent from 'eaven. But no' me. I wasn't suppos'd to be there." With a shake of her head she raised the bottle to her lips again, only allowing a small amount of the liquid to pass through her lips. "I wasn't suppos'd to be there and 'e made damn sure I knew't."
Jack stood there, shifting his weight uncomfortably. His instincts were telling him they were treading on thin ice, but he had to admit he was intrigued.
"Yeh don't want to be tellin' me this." Jack said, his dark eyes looking her over. "This is the drink talkin' darlin' and yer hate yerself come morning."
Ana shook her head, her eyes focused on the dark waves that carried Jack's ship. "I do, I've been meanin' to, just haven't found the time."
Jack watched her as she gulped down another mouth full of the amber liquid. Her eyes were becoming more glazed over by the second; she wouldn't last much longer.
"Me da' was Irish, tha's where I 'eard tha' story 'bout the pixies and the lep'rchauns." Her words slide and slurred almost incoherently, but Jack, having experience in the field of deciphering drunks, heard every word. "But me mum, she wasn't Irish. Me fath'r used to say 'e found her exotic 'er somethin' but she was 'is 'ousekeep'r and well, lemme tell yeh, a white man 'avin' affairs wiff 'is negro 'ousekeep'r don't go ov'r well in Barbados."
Her hands flew through the air, almost mimicking Jack's. Her captain's dark eyes followed her hands as they flew through the heavens, randomly stopping and pointing or twirling. Carefully, very carefully, his sneaky little hand reached out and managed to pull the rum bottle away from her, before letting it slip into the dark waves below.
"Aye, I can imagine love. Wicked childhood yeh must-of had." He said with a sympathetic nod. All he received from his first mate was a glare.
"Yer doin' it 'gain." She said pointing at him, her eyes narrowed.
"Doin' what?" Jack asked, a look of complete innocence on his face.
"Treatin' me like I'm gonna break! S'not nice!" Her grubby index finger poked him in the chest several times, just to show him, and then suddenly her glazed eyes lit up. "BASTARD!" She screeched, suddenly turning and clutching the railing. "Wher'd yeh put me rum!"
"Yeh dropped it Ana, right over the railin'." Jack said calmly, his eyes cast downward in mock tribute to the lost bottle. After her sudden screech most of the crew was now looking their way and Jack was going to get his drunken first mate to her cabin before she lost anymore of her dignity. "Come on darlin', let's go get yeh some more."
"Aye, let's," She said, slowly turning away from the dark banister and taking a weary, wavering step toward the hatch that lead below.
"Play a reel boys, get somethin' less soberin' playin' on me decks! I'll be back after I get the hellcat back to hell." Jack hollered as he continued to slow process of following the swerving Ana across the deck.
The crew let out a holler and the music started immediately, fast and electrifying. AnaMaria suddenly turned around, her feet nearly tripping over each other. Her glazed eyes had a fire behind them and a sideways smile was plastered on her face.
"I luff this song! Dance wiff me Jack!" She said before jumping up and throwing her hands over her head. Finally, her body couldn't take anymore and the alcohol took hold. She was out cold before her feet even hit the deck.
With a golden smirk playing at his lips, Jack Sparrow slowly lifting his first mate off his deck and heaved her over his shoulder like a sack. Laughter erupted from the crew and Jack gave them a wink before calling.
"Don't be too hard on her tomorrow boys; hell hath no fury like a woman scorned." He suddenly went all serious before cracking a smile. "But don't let 'er forget 'nither."
The crew let out a cheer and Jack turned on his heel before heading down the stairs. Managing to open her cabin door without dropping her, he stepped inside her small quarters. He had been in here only a few times before, never when Ana was first mate, and the room never seemed to change. Painful memories of the last tenant of this room quickly clouded his head, but he pushed them out the same way he closed the door with the back of his boot.
Dropping her into her coat she let out a small cry. Her freshly closed wounds against the ropes of the hammock sent shock waves of pain through her body.
"Shit!" Jack said, his face scrunching into a cringe. "Apologies Ana, didn't mean a thing by it." He whispered to the dark and Ana's features slowly began to relax back into the peaceful drunken slumber she had, literally, fallen into on the deck.
A/N: 'Tis been awhile since I posted so here is a REALLY LONG chapter. And I swear on pain of death that there is more waiting in Port Royal than just the blacksmith and his lass... Reviewers will recieve a bottle of rum and a reply!