The Lost Ingots of Tagus
by Aldesina
Chapter 11 Off to Meet the Commodore
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Disclaimer.....As you are probably all very well aware, I do not own anything, if I did I would be rolling in it, since I am not, and I do NOT own the story I am poor, and can only write fanfiction about it. Ah sigh, oh well, on with the story
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Diablo was perched upon a cliff that looked over Tortuga, it offered her a good view of the small island that was a few miles away. The island that Commodore Norrington and his two ships should be at by now; Gongolan. They should have gotten there by last night. She looked up and out at the sunrise. It was lovely, Caribbean sunrises were always pinker then others. The sky started out black, and then slowly a delicate weave of pinkish yellow light would stretch itself across the dim, like finely spun lace. This would be followed by hues of deeper red that would eventually fade to a deep orange and then end with a magnificent yellow; bright and glowing. Nothing in this world could match that color, not even the Golden Robes worn by the Emperor of China. Diablo frowned as she often did when her thoughts turned to her homeland. It's not as if she never went back, she visited her country often, but never her home. It was a love hate relationship, at one point she wanted to go back because her home represented everything that she had loved in the past, and had taken for granted. But then, she also knew that she could never go back to what once was, and it would not bode well to dwell upon lost things.
"Bee in your bonnet lass?" Diablo looked up to see Jack Sparrow making his way up the hill and toward her. She wondered if Bootstrap had told Jack about this place, or if Jack had just followed her the night before. She came to this hill often when they were in Tortuga, and she and her captain had finished making their rounds. It was tall, and steep, dotted with big rocks and slippery edges that would deter a less eager climber. Diablo was very eager; for silence and solitude that was. And no place but this hilltop offered that. She bet that Bootstrap told Jack that she would be here in the morning. She also bet that Jack followed her here last night as well. Diablo, for all her love of creature comforts, (what woman doesn't love them?) sometimes found herself craving a wide open space. Diablo eyed the drunken captain as he made his way past a particularly slippery pass and plop down on a rock less then two feet away from the one she was currently perched on. He didn't say anything, and she didn't seem inclined to talk either. Both studied each other as the sun fully rose into the sky and light greeted the new day.
"Cat got your tongue as well?" Sparrow finally spoke.
"Why the forced civility Captain?" Diablo began. He was not the only one that did some sneaking around last night. She too, did her share of spying. Immediately after Bootstrap had dismissed everyone for the night she left, nodding to Bootstrap. He knew she was going up on her hill. But she didn't head there immediately like she usually did. Instead Diablo doubled back and followed as Bootstrap and Jack made their way out of the tavern and into a deserted ally way. For on thing, she was worried about her captain. Bootstrap had told her the history of The Black Pearl and about the mutiny, and through the tales that traveled throughout the Caribbean over the past five years or so, she had pretty much picked out what happened to the mutinous crew of that ship. What she wanted to know was if Jack intended to seek revenge against her captain the same way that he had sought revenge against Barbossa. Luckily for Jack that had not been the case, otherwise his crew would have found his guts hanging on their mast come the morning.
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"I don't trust that woman" Bootstrap looked at his old friend and shook his head
"Come now Jack, I don't think you're giving her enough credit. She's really not a bad person once you get to know her."
"Bollocks" Jack staggered around the ally and waved his bottle at Bootstap heatedly "Did you even hear what she suggested? Huh? Did you hear that? Did you know that she was planning it?"
"Aye," Bootstrap said softly, "But she wouldn't use it, I know that for a fact, Diablo dear's got a way with people………."
"MUTINY BILL!" Jack bellowed "God be dammed thrice blasted mutiny" Jack snorted, "As if Norrington's men could ever be swayed, they would let her cut off all their thumbs first."
"If you know that they can't be swayed then why worry?" Bill looked at him quizzically.
"Because a sailor with mutiny on his mind is a traitorous shipmate savvy?"
"She won't betray us Jack."
"That's what you said about Barbossa." Jack shot back.
Bootstrap Bill stiffened. It was true that he was the one that had swayed Jack into bringing Barbossa. Jack had always trusted him when it came to judging people's characters.
"I'm sorry Jack, I realize that was entirely my fault, I, I judged his character poorly, and that crew." Bill took out his handkerchief and began twisting it again.
"They seemed too perfect to be real, I should have known, and I didn't." Bootstrap looked down at the handkerchief in his hands and straightened out the wrinkles lovingly. "Did I ever tell you the story of these handkerchiefs?" Jack looked up at him from his bottle of rum.
"Milady."
"Yes, Milady, they're made out of her petticoats, each one different. Two of them were from her wedding gown, two of them from her maternity clothes, and two of them from the dress that she wore on the first day that we met." Bootstrap Bill looked up at Jack. "I know that you paid the greatest price of all, and I'm sorry for it, but I paid my price as well, I lost my beloved Milady, and I had lost my son as well."
"But now you found dear William again now didn't you?" Bootstrap grinned wryly
"That's also thanks to you I hear."
"Yes, well I suppose I also got back what I lost as well." Jack grinned at his old friend. "That boy of yours got the common sense of a concrete block. Not even Norrington could drill any into him."
"What does Norrington have to do with my son?"
"Well you know all about Will stealing the commodore's bride don't you?"
"Yes, yes, it was on the lips of every sailor and every pirate of the Caribbean for a month."
"Well apparently our dear William here made his way over to the Commodore's place after becoming a big ole uppity blacksmith/ official supplier of His Majesty's Royal Navy's weapons and asked the stiff neck to teach him the proper etiquette and behaviors that were expected of a high society gentleman. Savvy"
"You're bloody pulling my leg." Jack shook his head at Bootstrap.
"And Norrington agreed?"
"Not only agreed, fully took the boy under his wing, in Will's words he was treated like a little brother."
"Bollocks."
"That's what I said. Anyway, apparently our dear commodore took it upon himself to teach Will all matters of important gentlemanly things, books and all. Had Will reading Plato at one time even."
"My boy………….a scholar." Bootstrap's eyes crinkled and lips pulled up in a lopsided grin, "Milady would be beside herself."
"Now, now I never said he was a scholar, but he did get enough of a crash course so that he could stand up for himself in society, but anyway we're getting off topic, the point is, after months of being intellectually drilled by Norrington, he still hasn't got much common sense." Bootstrap rubbed the back of his head and the lopsided grin became an lopsided grimace.
"You've got a bit of a point there." He rubbed his jaw in contemplation. "Say, you wouldn't happen to know Norrington's background would you? For such a well known naval bastard, he sure keeps his history well hidden."
"He's a son of a Marquis of some sort I think?" Jack said rubbing his head, "Some sort of uppity lord stiff."
"Well doesn't that make him a lord?" Bootstrap asked looking suddenly more interested then a man who was just mourning his wife should have looked.
"No, that makes one of his brother's a lord, another a wealthy land owner, and him a pampered brat." Bootstrap's face fell.
"That bastard has nothing?"
"Oh I'm sure he has something, he's damn rich and it ain't all from home if you get my drift."
"Ah……….. Good." Bootstrap said after a moment of silence. "It's good to know that he earns his own living." It was Jack's turn to look over sideways at his friend.
"How's that?"
"Diablo"
"Her again, that reminds me, you absolutely under no circumstances can trust that woman, she's got plans of her own I tell you, and the second she sees a way to fulfill them, Bam she'll leave you in Norrington's hands to rot."
"I'm already helping her fulfill her plans."
"See, you're already under her spell." Jack slugged back another swish of rum.
"Now Jack, like I said before Diablo and I go back, I know she's not out to scam me, or you for that matter."
"She's hiding something." Jack paced the ally building up speed, momentum and agitation as we went
"I know"
"Ah Ha!" Jack pointed a finger knowingly at Bootstrap.
"I also know what it is."
"Eh?" Jack stopped mid stride. He made his way over to the sitting man. "Well let's have it then, what's the big secret."
"Can't tell you."
"Why the bloody hell not?"
"It would bring her harm."
"Bill how bad could it possibly get? We're a bunch of escaped convicts, murders, and pillagers and we're inviting our worst enemy, that blasted long handed arm of the law Norrington, to come join us for a romp of a tea party. What could possibly bring more harm then that?" Bootstrap stood up and patted his old friend on the back, and walked back to the inn they were planning to spend the night at.
"Just trust her Jack, she has suffered more then you'll ever know."
"What you mean that cooked up story?" Jack asked yelling after Bootstrap. Bootstrap didn't reply.
Jack grumbled something about foolish old men and tipped back his bottle again for another swig only to find it empty.
"Blast"
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Bootstrap Bill let Jack yell after him, he was not in the mood to reply, besides right now nothing would convince him that Diablo was not going to pull a mutiny on them. He could present thousands of facts and site thousands of instances and they would all be for nothing. He ran his hands through his hair, still dark and thick after so many years. Right now he needed to get back to his ship, he was willing to bet that his son would be there and he would want some answers about the conversation that took place at the bar tonight. His predictions came true, the second he stepped onto the boat his son and future daughter in law came out to greet them.
"What was Jack so angry about?" Will asked as soon as he reached his father
"What's Diablo planning on doing?" Elizabeth added.
"Well obviously she's going to talk to your dear friend Norrington."
"Don't take us for fools, that won't set Jack off, if anything Jack would be rooting her on cause he knows that Norrington will be driven to his wits end by Diablo. Now tell us What Pissed Him OFF?" Elizabeth's voice reached new heights of volume and exasperation that had never before been achieved by humans. She also managed to greatly scare her father in law. Will just smiled gently and put an arm around her shoulders.
"I think that we should finish this conversation in our room don't you think my love?" Will smiled as he gently pulled Elizabeth towards him, loosening her stance a little. "Besides, I don't think it's good for a pirate crew to see their captain so stricken." He whispered lightly in her ear.
Elizabeth huffed and settled her hands on her hips.
"Er yes," Bootstrap began cautiously. Sheesh it seemed as if Diablo was rubbing off the girl. The three of them all made their way over to Will and Elizabeth's cabin, it was going to be a long night full explanations and questions with no end. Bootstrap was not looking forward to it.
"Well," Bootstrap began when they had all sat down, "To answer your first question Jack was angry because he didn't like Diablo's back up plan that she was going to use in case her first plan, which you know about, fails."
"Yes that's a given but what's the second plan." Elizabeth asked.
"Oh you know, she was just going to stay on board his ship and win over some followers, maybe ask for them to er, speak on her behalf and so on and so forth."
"Speak on her behalf?" Will asked skeptically.
"Something that only Jack has experienced……." Elizabeth's eyes widened as her voice trailed off.
"She wouldn't?" She asked Bootstrap, who merely nodded
"Wouldn't what?" Will asked looking at Bootstrap
"But that's terrible!"
"What is?" Will turned his head to Elizabeth
"I mean there has to be some other way, besides it's not as if the men will do that to him."
"Do what?" he asked again
"I know! I'll write him a note, a letter, ensuring that we're all ok, and that he should follow us because it will be good for the Crown , or some overly patriotic nonsense like that" This really got Will confused.
"Overly patriotic nonsense?"
"Yes, Yes, um, paper, yes, that's what I'll need, oh and a quill….." Elizabeth was still muttering to herself as she got up and started scurrying around the room to obtain said items.
"Dad," Will began eyeing his wife to be with concern in his eyes.
"Yes son?"
"What's wrong with her?"
"Well my boy she's been taken over by an infliction that women will sometimes have since the dawn of time."
"And that is?" Will asked sounding very worried.
"Meddling." Will blinked at his father.
Bootstrap sighed, "It's like this son," And with that he proceeded to explain to Will exactly what Diablo was planning as a backup, and exactly what Elizabeth was planning to do to interfere. When he was finished, much to his chagrin, Will agreed whole heartedly with his wife and immediately sat down to help her write that letter. He sighed in exasperation. It seemed as if no one trusted Diablo's abilities tonight. For that matter nobody seemed to believe what he himself saw with his own eyes. Commodore Norrington liked Diablo, it was like she was some sort of enigma for him to study, and he doubted that he would really bring Diablo any harm. Whether he believed her to be a pirate or not.
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Diablo had watched the exchange between the two men and made sure that no one else heard it. She knew that Bootstrap had felt guilt for Jack's fate before but until tonight hadn't known that the guilt was so great. She sighed. She knew that Bootstrap could be trusted with her secret but for a spilt second there she thought that he just might say something to give her away. Diablo was pulled out of her thoughts by Jack's voice.
"If we're to work together we should be civil toward each other despite our differences don't you think?"
"I think that we should get this thing settled." Diablo looked straight at Jack. Their eyes were almost the same color, give or take a shade or two.
"We don't have time for that."
"On the contrary, we have quite a bit of time."
"Are you always this bullheaded?" he asked.
"Are you always so charming?" she countered.
"All right then. You want to be blunt, I'm going to be perfectly honest with you. I don't like you, and I don't like the way you look. You look like an assassin, and I'm pretty damn sure if I paid you enough money you'd kill whoever I asked."
"Oh no need to pay me Jack darling, since you're such a good friend the first one's one me."
"Don't try to charm your way into anything, just let me make one thing clear." Jack got up from his rock and walked over sober as ever to the rock that Diablo was perched on and tapped her once on the nose.
"If you ever betray my old friend Bootstrap, there will be hell to pay. Savvy?" Diablo's eyes narrowed
"I could say the same for you."
"What's that suppose to mean missy?"
"I saw you follow Bootstrap out and confront him in the ally." Jack's face darkened.
"Does the word privacy mean nothing to you?"
"Not when it concerns the safety of my Captain." Diablo stood up, she was tall, and with her boots she was almost taller then Jack Sparrow.
"I know about your past, I know your history, I knew before I peeked in on you and the captain. I followed you because I heard that you lifted that lovely little curse on your old crew and then bundled them all up in a bow and sent them over to Norrington to hang in the gallows." Diablo leaned in close and tapped Jack on the nose once. "What guarantees do I have that you won't do that to Bootstrap."
"What really makes me think you care?"
"The same reason why you're suspicious of me" Diablo sat back down on her rock, taking a neutral stance. "Because he's my friend." She looked at him again from the corner of her eyes. "That story about him picking me up from the Flesh Market wasn't a hoax, I truly do owe him my gratitude."
"So you're indebted to him?"
"In a way……….." Diablo said slowly.
"Good." That made Diablo raise her eyebrows.
"Oh?" Jack flashed her a smile
"It is my belief that a traitorous man will never admit his debts."
"I'm a woman Jack, we know better."
"Maybe so, but I am at least fifteen years your senior, try to have a bit of faith in me, when I try to place a little faith on you." Diablo didn't answer for a while, merely stared at the newly risen sun.
"We're late, we were suppose to meet Bootstrap five minutes ago and see Norrington before noon."
"We'll still catch him before noon."
"Catch?" Diablo asked, a ghost of a smile playing on her lips.
"Yea, catch em and fry em."
"Hmmmm" Diablo flashed Jack a truly amicable smile. "I bet they taste like codfish."
And Jack laughed.
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"Where the hell have you two been?" Bootstrap yelled as he saw Diablo and Jack make their way toward the ship. "You were supposed to have been here nearly 30 minutes ago, what happened to sticking to the schedule?" Bootstrap Bill was in a hell of a mood. First the confrontation with Jack in the morning, then somebody told him that they saw Jack heading off toward the direction of the blasted hill that Diablo always liked to visit. Fuck, Jack was off for a confrontation, he half expected to see Jack's guts hanging on the masts of The Black Pearl come the morning. Jack for all his savvyness, and intelligence and tricky maniacal planning didn't stand a chance when it came to fighting Diablo. She would just kill him. Which was why when the two of them showed up side by side and having a hell of a jolly conversation did Bootstrap really want to blow a gut. For one thing, Diablo was never late, and on a day like this Bootstrap expected her to be early, damn it, they were currently off schedule by a good hour now.
"Well? Let's have it."
"Have what?" Diablo asked as she swung onto the ship, she looked around to see Marlow and BC standing together. They both nodded at her and she waved back at them and then headed over to her cabin to grab her truck. She was late yes, but she had a good reason to be, and besides that enlightening conversation with Jack was good. She didn't need any enemies on her own side, especially since she had to deal with a bunch of naval stiffs for the next few weeks.
"The blasted explanation." Diablo heard Bootstrap bellow at her back.
"Who blasted up a cotton plantation?" Jack asked as he strode off the plank onto the ship. Bootstrap thought he might throttle the two.
"Cotton plantation?" Marlow asked, "Really now Capt, that wasn't in the plans. Correction, Bootstrap Bill was going to strangle three people now.
"Well why are you lollygagging around dear Captain." Diablo was pulling her trunk toward Bootstrap as she spoke. Diablo had quickly located her truck and was just pulling it from her room over to Bootstrap, she had a whimsical expression on her face and looked as if she truly enjoyed driving him up the wall.
"Well darling I figure since we're about an hour late already what difference does it make?" Bootstrap huffed.
"Why are we an hour late?" Elizabeth had come out onto the deck with Diablo, Will was in tow behind her.
"Because I bet our dear Commodore expects us to meet him sometime around dawn, so I decided to let him sweat it out a little. Soon other pirates will begin to wake up, and he will have to risk being spotted." Diablo smiled. "And with such a pretty, pretty ship, it's gonna be quite a bit of pain to ward off any, ah suitors"
Bootstrap Bill just looked at her; he swore that she was trying to get herself killed before she even got to the commodore. He finally settled with shaking his head.
"Shall we get going?" Jack asked. He was already climbing into the small rowboat that they were going to take over to Gongolan Island.
"Just one moment." Elizabeth went up to Diablo, "I heard what you were going to do, Bootstrap told us last night after you came back from the bar." She took something from inside the bag she had across her shoulders. "Take this and show it to Commodore Norrington, he'll know it's mine and won't harm you." Elizabeth handed Diablo a length of ribbon and a sealed envelope. Diablo looked at the younger girl for a moment unsure of what to say.
"What makes you think that this item won't spur him in the wrong way."
"Because he's not a rash man, and will probably think things over…."
"You seem to be extremely sure of this."
"You seem to be extremely sure of your own ability to win him over." Diablo smiled.
"My, my, somebody is certainly catching on quickly." Elizabeth beamed at Diablo.
"Naturally darling." It was Diablo's turn to burst into laughter.
"Indeed" Diablo took the letter and length of ribbon and folded it into her vest pocket. Bootstrap came over and patted Diablo on the shoulder, giving her a smile charming enough to convince any number of devils and demons to do his whim.
"You look lovely today darling." Diablo flashed back her own charming smile.
She was back in her feminine clothes today. A black blouse with open ties in the front opened up to a large floaty collar. Over that was a fitted black suede vest that hid her belted weapon. As usual she had two arm bands that were hidden by long sleeves and two slim blades attached to her back. She also had blades down her boots and guns on her hips. She had on baggy pants that resembled the same ones that she wore the other day, and had her boots tucked over them. To the naked eye, no one could see the weapons that she had concealed, there were others that no one would be able to feel either. Diablo passed over her trunk to Jack and then climbed into the boat herself.
"I'll be keeping in touch"
"You take care of yourself my girl." Bootstrap said. "Bring me back a surrogate son in law!"
The entire crew shot him a look.
"What?" He asked as if he hadn't done or said a thing out of the ordinary. Marlow and BC shook their heads, Jack shuddered, Will looked patronizing and Elizabeth felt bad for the commodore, he had no idea what was coming to hit him, and he didn't stand a chance.
"Sure." Diablo winked again at Bootstrap and she and Jack rowed off toward Gongolan Island.
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Author's Note; Hello there! I had the biggest case of writer's block while attempting to finish this chapter, I knew what it was going to lead up to, I just couldn't find a way there. Hopefully you will have enjoyed this chapter. Thank you for reading, and thank you to everyone who's been reviewing, they are very encouraging and very helpful! Thank You! Waves! Now to go and find another story to work on and update, LoL, Byes!
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