CHAPTER SIX: A Lesson in Letters

Morgan sat next to Jack in his cabin. He was staring at her hands, which held a slip of paper with a letter on it.

"What is this?"

"er…Q"

"Good. This."

"A?"

"This is an R, Jack, this is an A," she held up another slip with the letter A on it.

"R, right, got it." Morgan smiled and showed another.

"ah….I don't know."

"S, like a snake."

"S, S, S."

"Yes, S."

Jack sighed. This was really boring. They had been sitting in his cabin for the past two hours, looking at slips of paper.

"You're doing fine, Jack. These things take time." She went through the rest of the alphabet and then started at the beginning again.

"A, B, C….Q,R,S….X,Y,Z" Jack completed the alphabet. Morgan smiled briefly.

"There, you now know the alphabet. Tomorrow we'll start with words."

"We're done for today then, love?"

"Aye."

"Good." Jack reached across Morgan and grabbed his rum. Morgan just laughed, patted him on the head as one would a dog, and walked out of the cabin.

Jack put his feet up on his desk and stared at the letter addressed to Morgan. He could read the letters, but not make heads or tails of the words. He sighed and angrily crushed the letter into a ball, and then stalked out of his cabin.

Captain Jake Norrington of the Royal Navy was angry. He was livid. He was just down right pissed off. His hat was askew and his hair was a mess. He looked as if he hadn't slept in days.

"Father, how could you let Sparrow escape?"

"Morgan?"

"No! Jack!"

"Then use the name Jack, or Captain Sparrow."

"Fine, but why did you let him escape?"

"He was helping Morgan!"

Jake slammed his hand onto the desk between them. "And that is good enough reason to let him go?"

"Well, I don't see you chasing after her." Kenwick stated bluntly. Jake looked as if he were about to scream.

"She betrayed her mother country by joining with Captain Sparrow."

"So, you're going to hang her than?"

Jake went silent.

"You have no proof that she has been branded, so no proof that she is a pirate."

"But right now, she sails under a pirate flag, and they all deserve to die."

"So, one bad deed is enough to hang a girl?"

"Yes!"

"Jake, you want glory, go after her. Be the hero."

"My ship is gone."

"That was your own fault. You underestimated the speed of the drug vessels and decided that using the Majestic would be too easy. You truly are a fool."

Jake opened and closed his mouth, looking very much like a fish.

"What did the letter to her say?"

"I don't know, Jake. I don't delve into other people's privacy. I only know that her parents went missing, and now she's looking for them."

Jake looked at his father, a confused expression on his face.

"Her parents went missing….hmmm…"

Morgan ran her fingers through her hair. She had never felt dirtier in her entire life. It wasn't that she minded so much, it was that her clothes stunk of Tortuga. She would have rather stripped naked than wear them a second longer.

Unfortunately, none of the pirates were willing to let her borrow any clothes. She was about ready to scream.

"Sparrow! Come ere!" Jack called. His head was poking out of his cabin. She sighed and walked towards him. He opened the door so she could fit inside. He turned and prepared to leave.

"The clothes on the bed are yours, love. Chuck your old ones over the side." He shut the door. She smiled, hoping that the clothes wouldn't stink of Tortuga. She lifted a billowy white shirt and realization hit her.

They were Jack's clothes.

She removed her filth-ridden shirt and tossed it on the floor. She pulled Jack's over her head. It was a little large, but it didn't smell bad. She picked up the next article of clothing he had left. Pants.

She kicked her trousers off and pulled the new ones on. They were way big, but she used the sash he had left to tie them up. She pulled her old boots off and slid into an older pair of Jack's, but still in better condition than hers had been.

She looked at her reflection in the small window in Jack's cabin. She cut a piece of the sash off and used it to tie her hair back. She smiled. Much better.

THREE DAYS LATER

Morgan ran up to Jack.

"We're not going to make it in the time allowed, are we?"

"Fraid not, love. The winds have not been with us, it's been hard sailing." Morgan sat down hard, right in the middle of the deck. Jack kneeled down next to her.

"Easy love, everything will work out. I can kinda read now, that in itself is a miracle."

Morgan smiled and stood up. "You're right. I'll go back to the Nebuchadnezzar now."

"Sin has her under control. Today was the fourth day since the letter. As soon as we see the island, me and you are goin' ashore."

Morgan nodded. "If I'm staying on the Pearl, where do I sleep?"

Jack looked up at her. "My cabin, love. Won't be usin it tonight anyway."

Morgan arched an eyebrow at him and shook her head, smiling.

"You never give up, do you?"

NEXT DAY

"Cap'n, there it is!" Gibbs yelled, pointing off the starboard side. Jack's eyes narrowed dangerously as they approached the island.

"Morgan!" he yelled. Morgan jogged up the steps and stood next to him.

"That's it, then?"

"Aye, love. C'mon, we go ashore."

Jack and Morgan climbed into the small rowboat as it was being lowered into the water. The both grabbed a set of oars and began to row to the island.

It took only minutes for the small boat to touch bottom. Jack jumped out and pushed the boat out of the water. Morgan climbed out and sniffed the air.

"Do you smell that?"

"Smells like rotten bodies, love."

Morgan's face paled. She drew her long knife and headed into the burned shrubbery. Jack followed, keeping a watchful eye all around them.

"Jack, look!"

Jack turned and saw a dead goat. It was swollen and bloated and it stunk to high heaven. Morgan wrinkled her nose and took another step closer.

"Look, love, another letter."

Nailed into the goat's head was another paper parchment, again addressed to Morgan. She plucked it off and opened it.

She read aloud.

'Morgan Sparrow Turner'

You have failed the first test. Come to the far side of Tortuga in seven days, or your parents will resemble this goat. Be prepared to hand over what you carry.

We hope you accept our invitation.'

"Short and to the point, ain't they?" Jack asked as he took the letter from her.

"They know we have the Pearl."

"I know, love. And we need to get rid of them."

"Jack, do you think they knew I would find the Pearl? Is that why my parents were taken?"

"I don't know, love, I just don't know."

AN: Thanks for all the reviews. I hope you enjoy reading this story as much as I enjoy writing it. Standards apply. Morgan is mine, tho. And the plot.