Here's my second chapter. I just wanna say, if you are reading this, thank you so much! I am rather new to the PotC fic world, and I'm trying to build a bit of an audience here…so can you please review, tell your friends and spread the word on my fic.
Disclaimer: I don't own PotC…but me dreams are filled with Jack Sparrow and pirates and all that jazz…
There's a reason why people are so untrustworthy of mankind. Its because we, as people, hold grudges, and when we've got it in for someone or something, we don't drop easily at all. It takes us time for us to move on and trust others. So to be able to rely on Barbossa was possibly extremely hard and having him in their presence certainly made the rest feel uneasy.
"What is he doing here?" Gibbs asks.
"Its good t'see ye too," Barbossa says.
"Ye betrayed Jack. Why would yer want to help save 'im?" Gibbs says.
"There be no truth in me saying I am doing this by me own will, but I have been asked by Tia Dalma ter come, so I shall," Barbossa says.
"It's alright, Gibbs. He's indebted to Tia Dalma," Will says.
"You are a traitor," Elizabeth says suddenly through gritted teeth.
"I never wanted 'im dead, Miss Swann. Merely his ship," Barbossa says smiling in that unsettling way.
"You marooned him on an island, he was worse than dead," Elizabeth cries.
"Well there be some things a man must do ter get what he wants," Barbossa says.
"You are absolutely vile," Elizabeth says, looking at him in disgust.
"Took ye long enough to realise that, lass" Barbossa says.
"Elizabeth. We need him to save Jack," Will says putting a hand on her shoulder and looking at her with his dreamy eyes.
Elizabeth smiles at him, reminding her why she loved him, and how sweet and supportive he was. And yet she was there, unsure of her feelings, and she looks away guiltily, scared of hurting him.
"So, we all agreein' that I come?" Barbossa says.
"Do ye have a headin' then?" Gibbs asks.
"And ye'll be callin' me Cap'n," Barbossa says.
Gibbs breathes is deeply before repeating his question.
"Do ye have a headin', Cap'n," Gibbs says.
"Temple of the Afterlife," Barbossa says.
"Temple o' the Afterlife? What'sat?" Pintel asks.
"The fact tha' you ain't in the position ter ask such questions, I'm not be botherin' to tell ye," Barbossa says.
"We deserve to know, Barbossa," Will says.
"Hm. Alright then, the Temple has an item that will be needed ter navigate our way ter the Underworld, and ter Persephone's island,"
"What is this item?" Elizabeth asks.
"A map, o' course," Barbossa says exasperatedly. "Ye happy?"
"Slightly," Elizabeth says curtly.
"Now get ter work ye dirty insects!" Barbossa barks. The crew all bustle off, and Elizabeth is about to follow before being stopped by Barbossa.
"Not you, Miss Elizabeth, of course. Can't have lady such as ye-self doing manual labour now can we?" Barbossa says.
"I'm as capable as the next man," Elizabeth says haughtily but Barbossa catches her wrist.
"Let go of me," Elizabeth says.
"What's the matter Miss? Like some time ter grieve for ye lost love?" Barbossa says a glint in his eye."
"What are you talking about?" Elizabeth says. Barbossa just smiles malevolently. "How come you didn't die?" Elizabeth says questioningly.
"That's fer me ter know," Barbossa says.
"You were rescued, the same way we're going to save Jack," Elizabeth says in realization.
"What d'ye think?" Barbossa says.
"How could anyone possibly want to bring you back to life?" Elizabeth asks in disgust.
"Words can hurt, missy," Barbossa says, malicious smile again. He turns on his heel and heads for the helm. Elizabeth just sniffs indignantly.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Elizabeth sits at her dressing table in her private cabin. It was the night, and she had been allowed the cabin by herself. She brushed her hair, looking at her reflection in the ornate mirror. Her thoughts were…a mystery to her. Her mind was a blur. All she could think about was that horrible day, the scene just playing in her mind, over and over again. The Kraken. The Kiss. Chaining him to the mast. The more she remembered the more she was determined to go and save him. But what confused her most was what her true feelings were. She had been trying to deny it, disregard even the possibility. But now that she by herself, she knew the truth. Or part of it. She no longer was in love with Will. She still loved him, but found herself feeling that there no longer was any spark or chemistry between them, and she felt rather empty, knowing that the man who loved her so, was no longer the love of her life. Yet telling him would break his heart, and to see that happen would break hers.
She brushes her long honey-coloured hair, pondering her thoughts of love and of life. All she knew at the moment was that saving Jack was her sole priority.
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Will walked up the stairs and stands in front of Barbossa, arms crossed.
"Wha's in ya head, boy?" Barbossa asks.
"This map. What's so special about it," Will asks.
"Ye questioning me?" Barbossa says.
"Yes," Will challenges.
"Not very trusting, are we boy?" Barbossa says.
"You betrayed Jack. You tried to kill me. You threatened my fiancée," Will says.
"I did'n think she was still ye fiancée," Barbossa says.
Will looks at him icily. "My relationship with Elizabeth is none of your business,"
Barbossa just smirks at him and walks over, standing in front of him.
"This map, is unlike any other. It's got things that mankind have not yet even heard of, let alone know about. Whole continents which haven't been discovered, places which are beyond man's knowledge," Barbossa says.
"But if you know how to get to the Underworld, and to this island, why do we need the map?" Will says.
"The map is more than it seems. It possesses many secrets, and tis the only thing that will allow a mortal to see the queen Persephone," Barbossa says.
"Right," Will says, still not completely trusting him. Barbossa shakes his head at him, and leaves to make his way to his cabin. Will walks over to the railing and leans on it, staring out into the moonlight shining on the water's surface.
Did he really want to risk so much to save the man who he was never so sure about? The man who sent him to Davy Jones, the man who had kissed the love of his life, the man who had risked his life so many times before. He had always sort of admired Jack, and thought of him as a mentor or friend, in a twisted sort of way. Then he kissed Elizabeth, and now all he could think about was the two of them together. He was angry. Angry at how Jack could betray him like that. Angry at how Elizabeth could do such a thing. Angry that his life was not turning out to be as he had imagined.
These days when he looked at Elizabeth, he no longer saw love in her eyes, not as before. She had tried. He knew that. But they both knew, well he knew, that her heart was no longer his. Yet she still had his, which made everything harder.
This wasn't the way things were meant to turn out.
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The sun shone on board the Black Pearl. Barbossa was at the helm, steering with Gibbs watching over him.
Will watches as Elizabeth scrubs at the deck ferociously, clearly determined to prove her worth. She stopped for a moment, and pushes back a strand of hair. Even when she was in her men's clothes, and hadn't had a bath in days, she looked beautiful. He loved her more deeply than any other man could. Yet Will's heart was heavy, knowing that perhaps she did not reciprocate his feelings, and that he had lost her. He couldn't avoid the topic any longer. He needed to know. Will walks over to her, and is about to approach her before Barbossa's voice booms from the helm.
"Alright, crew, we're approaching land. Set anchors!" he cries.
"C'mon, Will, give me a hand," Gibbs says dragging Will away. Will glances at Elizabeth before following Gibbs.
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In the middle of a vast mass of crystal blue water that reflects the glittering sunlight upon its surface, is an island. This island's sand is soft and white, the trees lush and green. And on this island, Captain Jack Sparrow was lying on the beach.
His eyes are closed, his arms and legs splayed out. Slowly he stirs, mouth twitching. Suddenly his eyes spring open and he gets up quickly onto his knees. He feels his face with his hands, pats his body, checking if this was actually happening.
"Yeah!" he shouts. "I'm not dead! I'm not dead!" he chants getting up and running about. Then he stops and looks around with a funny expression on his face. "Where is everybody?"
He glances around, and then walks towards the forest. "Hello!" he shouts. No reply. A rustle of trees, but its merely a bird. It seems clear that there were no inhabitants on this island.
"Oh bugger," Jack says to himself, still looking around.
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The crew all go ashore the island. There is a dark jungle with exotic trees and plants, birds twittering. Barbossa stops and smiles.
"Ah, now here be our first stop to savin' Jack," Barbossa says.
"I thought we were goin' to a temple?' Pintel says.
"Yer idiot, its within the jungle," Ragetti says nudging him.
"Last time we were in a jungle, some cannibals tried ter eat us," Gibbs says.
"How unfortunate," Barbossa says simply before heading into the jungle.
They follow after him cautiously, stepping on the damp ground, trees looming over them. It had a real mysterious and supernatural air about it, which made Elizabeth shiver.
The finally reach this great stone monument, which was breaking down slightly, but nevertheless was a formidable and empowering temple. It had a big archway entrance, fine wood doors, and tall bell tower. Barbossa walks towards the way in, pushes the door open loudly but stops when no one else seems to be following.
"Wha's the matter? Scared?" Barbossa says mockingly.
"Are you entirely sure this is it?" Elizabeth asks.
"And are ye entirely sure this isn't it, Miss Swann?" Barbossa growls back.
Elizabeth doesn't reply, she just looks at him witheringly. She walks into the temple firmly, head high. Barbossa chuckles.
"Gents," he says before walking. The others follow suit, warily.
Inside, it is a giant stone hall, the ceiling almost reaching the skies, and when you spoke, it echoed loudly. Each step you took their was a resounding tap and it was dark and bleak. And there were stone stairs, which lead up to, a beautiful stone altar, and upon it laid a tied up scroll of parchment, sunlight shining through a shaft directly onto it.
"There tis, The Map of Light and Darkness, guide to good an evil, it tells no lies, and sides with none," Barbossa says. " Go get the map, boy,"
"Alright," Will says taking a breath, although he did not know why. He walked up the steps slowly, and reaches his hand out to take it. He clasps the scroll, as he does, the tip of a sword is pushed against his throat, stopping him in his tracks. He looks to the side without moving his head, and sees a masked stranger holding the sword and looking at him with steely blue eyes.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you," the sword-holder says. Suddenly several other masked people appeared, pointing their swords at the crew.
"And why not?" Will says defiantly, looking at this person with hard eyes.
"Because it is ours for the taking,"
"And of what purpose do you have for it?"
"What we do with that map is not of your concern,"
"Well then, let's see who gets to have it then, shall we," Will says and draws his sword, turning backwards to avoid the stranger's sword. The others also draw their swords and a fight breaks out within the Temple. Elizabeth fights with skill and ease, Barbossa taking on two at the same time. Gibbs, Pintel and Ragetti battle it out, each putting up a fight. Will and the masked stranger clash swords, dodging the stranger's vicious lunges, blocking the attacks. The stranger is doing considerably better, but Will is quite the connoisseur as well, the two equally matched in swordsmanship. Parry, attack, block, sidestep, attack, block, parry, attack, sidestep, block, block.
"You are better than ye look," the stranger says in between clangs.
"Looks can clang be clang deceiving," Will says.
He then grabs the map off the altar, the stranger jumps onto it, now having the advantage of height, slashes at him, Will ducks, swinging his sword at the stranger's feet. The stranger jumps, presumably, then does a flip through the air, landing behind him and kicks Will onto the ground, who drops the map. The stranger picks it up with one single movement. The crew are then quickly surrounded by the masked people, swords once again at their throats. They drop their swords in defeat.
"The captain will be pleased," the head masked individual says with a laugh.
Well that's it folks. What did you think? Please review!