Ch. 2

Barbossa waited wordlessly as the Black Pearl crept through the fog toward the small port. Motioning for the monkey to climb onto his shoulder, he absently stroked its fur to calm his agitated nerves. They were so close…He felt as if he only had to reach out and reclaim the gold, but it would do no good to launch the attack just yet. It was imperative that the strike seem like an ordinary raid, causing chaos to cover their search for the gold. He knew his men stood at their posts, just as anxious as he, waiting for him to give the order to fire the cannons.

" 'scuse us, Cap'n," Pintel said nervously, approaching Barbossa with Ragetti close behind him. "We couldn't 'elp but notice-"

"Did I give ye permission t' speak?" Barbossa growled, pinning the man down with a fierce glare. "Hmm?"

"No, sir, but-"

"Then why are you? Get back to yer post!"

"That's just it, Cap'n," Ragetti chimed in. "We doesn't got a post t'go to. You didn't give us none."

Barbossa sighed and contemplated his options. Pintel was capable enough, but wherever he went, Ragetti was sure to follow, and Barbossa wanted that numbskull as far away from him as possible. "Go ashore with the land crew," he finally said. "Take a group of men and raid the governor's mansion for valuables. Bring back whatever swag ye can carry." There. Even they couldn't mess up that order.

Finally they were in position, and Barbossa gave the signal to open fire on the port. Slowly at first, and then more rapidly, buildings leapt up in flames and the screams of terrified townsfolk filled the air. The pirates lowered the rowboats and piled in. Torches and weapons in hand, they rowed toward the shore and began wreaking havoc on the small port. Barbossa himself, though, stayed onboard with the gun crew. Raids bored him now, and he preferred to stay with his ship and help himself to the spoils later.

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About half an hour into the raid, Barbossa saw one of the boats coming back early. Upon closer inspection, he saw that they had a young woman with them. What don't these imbeciles understand about 'no captives'?… He started to go down and investigate, but Bo'sun intercepted the group. Barbossa overheard his name and something about parley, but waited to approach the small group. The young woman -Barbossa guessed she couldn't be more than eighteen- tried to say something, only to be struck across the face by Bo'sun. That's enough…

"You will speak when spoken to!" the large man growled.

Barbossa caught his arm firmly and glared at him. "And ye will not be layin' a hand on those under the protection of parley," he warned in an even tone that belied the malice in his eyes.

"Aye, sir," Bo'sun said, jerking his arm out of Barbossa's grasp and walking away.

"My apologies, Miss," Barbossa said smoothly.

The young woman looked him in the eyes. "Captain Barbossa, I am here to negotiate the cessation of hostilities against Port Royal."

Barbossa pretended not to understand. "There're a lot o' long words in there, Miss; we're naught but humble pirates. What is it that you want?" He was capable of fancy speech and high-society manners when they were called for, but given his particulars, he preferred straightforward negotiations…at least from his opponent.

"I want you to leave and never come back," she said firmly. He could see the fear in her eyes, but she did a wonderful job of keeping it from manifesting in her voice.

"I'm disinclined to acquiesce to your request," he replied. "…Means 'no'."

"Very well," she said, walking purposefully to the side of the ship and dangling a gold medallion over the rail. "I'll drop it!" she threatened.

The gold…Barbossa forced a nonchalant smirk. "Me holds are burstin' with swag. That bit o' shine matters to us?…Why?"

"It's what you've been searching for," she replied. "I recognized this ship; I saw it eight years ago on the crossing from England!"

"Did ye, now?" he asked, trying to conceal his interest. His mind pored over what little Bootstrap had told him. To be honest, he'd never taken much interest in the man's background. However, he was almost certain Turner had at some point mentioned a child back in England…

The girl looked around at them. "Fine. Well, I suppose if it is worthless then there's no point in me keeping it." She let a bit of the chain slip through her fingers, causing Barbossa and his men to lunge forward involuntarily. Smiling knowingly, she looked back at Barbossa.

Laughing slightly, he forced another grin. Only one way to find out. "Ye have a name, Missy?" he asked.

"Elizabeth…Turner," she replied, declining her head slightly. "I'm a maid in the governor's household."

"Miss Turner," Barbossa repeated to the crew. He'd suspected as much. "And how does a maid come to own a trinket, such as that? Family heirloom, perhaps?"

"I didn't steal it, if that's what you mean."

Barbossa pretended to contemplate. "Very well, you hand it over, and we'll put your town to our rudder and ne'er return." Hesitantly, Elizabeth handed him the coin. Barbossa felt a wave of relief as he passed it to the monkey, who climbed up higher into the ropes with it.

"Our bargain?" she asked, drawing Barbossa out of his thoughts. He nodded to Bo'sun and walked off. As Bo'sun began shouting orders to the crew, the girl ran after Barbossa. "Wait!" she cried. "You have to take me to shore! According to the Code of the Order of the Brethren-"

"First," Barbossa interrupted, turning around fiercely, "your return to shore was not part of our negotiations nor our agreement so I must do nothing. And secondly, you must be a pirate for the pirate's code to apply, and you're not. And thirdly, the code is more what you'd call 'guidelines' than actual rules…Welcome aboard the Black Pearl , Miss Turner!"

A/N: Yeah...fairly short...I think I'm having way too much fun with this villain PoV thing...anyone else find that concerning? Anyway, please review!