To Assist Fugitives

Challenge: Crossover

By FalconWing

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Paris, Helen and other Trojan fugitives ran, sobbing and in shock along the underground tunnels for leagues before finally emerging into the blinding glare of the sun they had been so long without. Many collapsed. Brisseis lay sprawled in the sand, crying openly and she wasn't the only one.

Helen's tears ran freely down her cheeks but her resolve only hardened. She was the reason for all this. It had been her fault and if she could do nothing to change things then at the very least she could help them recover.

First things first she took a look around herself.

The lay of the land was alien to her, but it seemed they were on a small islet. The sand was white and the water a bright azure of a quality she had never seen before. Strange trees littered the place with long fronds that gave little shade. Ill at ease, she looked to Paris for comfort, but if anything he seemed more bewildered than she did.

"This island is completely foreign to me. To my knowledge, the tunnel should not have led us here. How can you dig under the ocean? This is part of no area I am familiar with." He spoke softly into her ear so that no one could overhear.

On edge now, she fidgeted and looked around again. That was when she saw it.

At first she thought she was seeing things. There had not been time to bring food or water and after days of stumbling through underground tunnels her thirst was nearly overpowering. But instead of fading away as she expected, the dark, looming bulk stayed exactly where it was, large as life. She pointed frantically. "It's a ship!"

But it was like no ship she had ever seen.

To say it was the biggest ship she had ever seen would have been a grave understatement. The hull was probably about four times the length and breadth of any other vessel she had seen and at least thrice as tall. There were three masts, each stretching up as though in attempt to reach the heavens. And all of it – hull, decks, sails, everything – was stained a deep ebony blacker than the night itself.

Helen heard rather than felt the breath hitch in her throat, just as she felt rather than heard everyone gather around her in fearful awe of the monolith before them.

Then movement caught her eye and she saw a small boat with several occupants being lowered into the water and then begin to approach the shore. Until then she hadn't taken notice of the small figures on deck scurrying around on board, but now that she had, she could see them all over the ship, running to and fro.

Then her attention was pulled back to the small boat as it pulled up onto the beach. All inside wore the oddest clothing she had ever seen, but one stood out from the rest and not only for his clothing.

For not only did he wear similar garments to the others, but he had an unruly mane of black hair held back from his face by a strip of red cloth. The hair itself was long and had been twisted in some bizarre fashion and braided into it were various trinkets, beads, string and even something that looked like a bone! His beard had also been divided in twain and braided, with beads at the ends. Black lined his dark eyes.

Then he spoke and she struggled not only to make sense of the strange accent and different way of speaking, but also to concentrate on his face rather than allowing her gaze to be captured by his flamboyant hand gestures.

"Well, look what we have here. More people on me little island. This has got to be the fourth bunch we've picked up in less that a year." He pointed to the spot where they'd exited the tunnels and a mournful expression came over him, though he continued to chatter without seeming to notice that his audience was almost dead on its feet. "I see ye've found the rum cache. Unfortunately, the rum was all burnt a long time ago, which would be why none was there if ye were wondering. Anyhow, if ye'd like to follow me, I can take ye to me ship, get ye off this godforsaken place and get ye some proper clothes." Here he paused to look them up and down doubtfully and frowned before continuing "Those sandals ye've got there look mighty uncomfortable."

Then he turned on his heel and to walk away, only to turn suddenly around again and let loose a golden grin.

"By the by, that beauty over behind me is the Black Pearl and I'm Captain Jack Sparrow."