HUNT FOR THE GOLDEN MERMAID
A PIRATE, NOT A LADY
"Crouch!" Captain Baron yelled across the deck. "Crouch!"
"Aye, Cap'n" Crouch answered, fear dripping from his words.
"How much longer 'till we reach Port Royal, I need t' bloody find Sparrow now!" he grunted to the frightened first mate.
"Not but a few hours, Cap'n" Crouch mumbled as he wrung his hat in his hands.
"Not good enough, Crouch" the Captain bellowed and pulled a knife out on his fellow shipmate.
"Cap'n I could make the crew work faster" Crouch cried, standing on his toes so the knife would not pierce the skin on his neck.
"It better be much faster ye filthy dog" Baron grunted and stomped his way to his quarters.
He slammed the doors and locked them so no idiotic crewmember would disturb him. Baron threw the knife that he was still holding and it stabbed into the walls of his cabin. He grunted loudly again and collapsed on a wooden chair at a table in the middle of the room.
For a few moments it seemed that the Captain's eyes held tears but he scrunched his eyes closed as he dug into a pocket on the inside of his jacket.
He pulled out a silk carry pouch. It was a beautiful gold silk with initials sewn into the middle of it. 'M. B.' it said plain as day in blue stitching.
Baron let his dirty thumb run over the two initials as his mind swam in memories.
After a second he slammed the carry pouch on the table and grunted yet again. He quickly shoved the silk item back into his pocket again and began to study his map.
---
"Cap'n Sparrow, sir" Mr Gibbs intruded into Jack's thoughts.
"Mmm?" Jack answered distracted.
"We are about an hour away from Port Royal, sir" Gibbs said.
"Good" Jack nodded.
Jack was still looking out to sea. He was far more distracted than usual.
"Is there somethin'...troublin' you Cap'n?" Gibbs inquired.
"Mr Gibbs" Jack sighed, still not looking at him. "I have previously explained the matter that has been troublin' me. Do ye not remember the exchange of words we shared a few minutes ago?"
"But Cap'n" Mr Gibbs sighed, "That exchange of words...that was hours ago"
"It was?" Jack asked, turning to Gibbs for the first time, "I must have drank too much rum" he concluded to himself.
"Cap'n" Gibbs said again, "Are ye goin' to be alright?" he asked, it was difficult for him to but he managed.
"Mr Gibbs" Jack said somewhat offended, "I am Captain Jack Sparrow, I'll be fine" he said triumphantly and returned his gaze back to the sea.
---
"...and now, ladies and gentleman please take a wonder onto our Royal Navy's latest piece of ingenious equipment" Lieutenant Winsor told the crowd proudly.
The crowd slowly merged aboard the Fearless and admired the craftsmanship of it. Being on it bragged its beauty further and Kate, along with the rest of the crowd, was amazed.
Kate had never seen a ship so big let alone been on one. She couldn't let an opportunity like this pass.
Kate slowly waltzed to the helm of the ship then to the railing on the port side. She watched the people that were admiring the ship. Men and women alike were gazing at its beauty but among the men were officers, too many to do anything, just yet.
"Katherine" Elizabeth called as she walked over to her. "I need to sit down for a while, Will is going to join me. Would you like to?"
"Oh no, I'm fine" Kate smiled keeping her voice as lovely as a lady's should. "I think I'll admire this ship a little more"
"If you need us we will be on the docks" Elizabeth smiled and left.
Kate smiled to herself and watched the people again. Less people were admiring the ship. Now was her chance to slip back to the carriage.
Slowly and quietly Kate walked off the ship then down the docks, past the crowds and orchestra.
She strolled over to the carriage her, Elizabeth and Will had arrived in and got inside. Quickly and uncomfortably she pulled her slacks and belts up under her skirts so no one would notice she was carrying anything and changed her uncomfortable shoes to her favourite boots.
The sword was the hardest; she held it close against her leg as she walked back to the crowd. There was no way she would allow her effects to be taken.
Kate walked up the boarding plank and onto the ship quietly. She stood on the deck and watched the last people leaving it. She waited quietly and when no one was aboard she got to work.
Kate cut all the ropes that tied the Fearless to the dock of Port Royal. She then placed her sword against some rigging and went to kick the boarding plank away but someone was walking up it. Lt. Winsor.
"Miss Brook" he smiled.
Kate cursed under her breath.
"Lieutenant." she smiled meekly.
He walked right next to her on the deserted deck.
"I see you are admiring my ship again" he laughed politely.
"Of course, it's just such a pretty ship" Kate smiled sickly.
"It is" the Lieutenant nodded. "And the stars, it just adds to it all" he gushed as he looked up to the dark night sky.
Kate wanted to gag, who was this man? And why wouldn't he leave her alone?
"Lt. Winsor?" Kate said as distressed as she could manage. "Could you do something for me?"
She quickly grabbed her sword and held it behind her back.
"Of course, anything for a woman as fine as you" he agreed.
Kate quickly forced her arm around and pointed her sword to his neck, giving her a shocked and offended expression from him.
"I need you to be a hostage," she laughed still using her sophisticated accent.
She kicked his leg so he would walk to the starboard railing so they were facing the dock where the crowd had now merged.
"Ladies and Gentlemen!" Kate yelled loudly, she still used the newly found accent.
The orchestra stopped playing and screams from women and shouts from men were heard. All attention was pointed at the young woman who had a sword at a Lieutenant's throat.
"I need full cooperation from every single one of you" Kate continued to yell.
She walked Winsor across the deck as he gulped uncomfortably.
"Is there any need for this?" he asked, his pride was damaged significantly.
"I need everyone to step away from the dock, as far away as possible!" Kate ordered.
No one moved.
"You think I wont cut his throat?" Kate growled and gripped Winsor roughly.
The crowd moved back slowly, except for two. Will and Elizabeth Turner.
"Go with her Will" Elizabeth told her husband.
"What?" Will asked amongst the commotion.
"Someone has to watch her"
"But what about you?" Will asked worried.
"I'll stay with my father until you return, go Will, she needs you more than I" Elizabeth smiled.
Will smiled hesitantly. He suddenly grabbed his wife and kissed her sweetly.
"I love you," he whispered and with one last look and caress to her swollen stomach, he walked towards the ship.
"Mr Turner!" Kate yelled to him, "Come aboard, now" she ordered.
Kate knew that this was what Elizabeth and Will wanted, she was trying to make it look as if he had no choice.
Slowly Will came aboard. He stood near the Lieutenant and Kate.
"Good" Kate whispered. "Get rid of the plank" she growled.
Will did so. Winsor began to fidget in Kate's hands so she pulled him roughly.
"Don't be stupid" she growled in his ear. "Mr Turner, ready the ship" she ordered and he did so quickly.
Kate walked Winsor and her self closer to the railing and spoke to the crowd again.
"Now Ladies and Gents, I am commandeering this lovely ship" she smiled and pulled of her hat and ripped off her skirts.
She revealed her slacks and belts, the ones she had been wearing the day she arrived. Women in the crowd gasped.
"I know terrible innit?" she laughed.
Her true voice came back to her now.
"So if ye don't want yur much-loved Lieutenant Winsor here killed I suggest there aint any sudden moves nor sounds, you all got it?"
There was no sound from the crowd and Kate smirked triumphantly. She walked Winsor closer to the railing then whispered to him.
"Ye jus' aint me type, Lieutenant"
Kate smiled to herself and kicked Winsor overboard. Women screamed and she just laughed.
"Man overboard" she yelled out and laughed to herself.
---
"You backed out of a promise" Will stated as he stood at the helm of the Fearless.
The two of them had left the dock a half an hour ago, Kate was surprised and pleased they were not followed.
"I had my fingers crossed the whole time, mate" Kate said as she wove the blue ribbon back into her hair. Her eyes were surrounded in kohl already.
"'sides I commandeered this ship as a lady would, just as I promised" she laughed.
"Oh and how is that?" Will wondered out loud.
"I made that Lieutenant think I was interested in him then I cut the legs from under 'im" Kate nodded, "Just how ladies do things nowadays, William" she smiled.
Kate looked up to Will and stood, then gazed past him and spotted a light.
"Bugger" she sighed and pulled out her spyglass.
She stared through it and her fears were proved, it was a ship, a pirate ship of what she could tell.
"What is it?" Will asked.
"Pirates" Kate looked back to him, "Douse the lights while I take down the colours" Kate whispered.
She ran to a mast and climbed up to the crows nest as Will put out all the candles on the ship. When she got to the crows nest she pulled down the Royal Navy flag, tared it down the middle and threw it overboard.
Kate slid down to the deck on a rope and got back to Will who had doused all the lights and was back at the helm.
"Just keep quiet, if they see us we have no hope in this world"
Will nodded.
The two stood silently, hoping that the other ship wouldn't spot them. As time crept by the ships got closer together but it seemed as though no one on the other ship had noticed.
Kate picked up her spyglass again and looked through. She noticed the ship was getting closer but then noticed there was another ship not far behind.
"What in the...?"
"What?" Will whispered.
"Another ship" she whispered back, "Here, take a peek"
Will took the spyglass from Kate's hands, he looked through it then smiled to himself.
"It's the Pearl" he murmured to Kate.
Her eyes widened. The Black Pearl, her fathers ship. She knew where her father was.
Suddenly a bang cut through the crisp night air then whistling was heard.
Cannon fire.
"Run for cover!" Kate yelled to Will.
The two of them fell flat on the decks of the Fearless as a cannonball was sent through a mast causing it to snap in half and fall onto the deck.
More bangs and whistling came overhead and a cannonball went right through the hull, another hit some railing and another made a hole in the deck.
The ships were too close for comfort now. Close enough that if you squinted you're eyes you could see the crew. But the Pearl was far behind and had nothing to do with the firing guns.
Kate crawled across the deck to take a look at the enemies. Just the top of her head was seen before pistols began open fire upon her
"Damn that Baron." She growled after she ducked from the open fire.
"Who?" Will asked as he avoided getting shot too, ducking under a barrel.
"Remember that somethin' I was tryin' to solve?" she asked as a shot hit the railing near her head. She ducked down further.
Will nodded.
"It involves a one Captain Baron, ugly fella' if I do say so me'self" Kate said, hatred covered her tone.
Another bang and whistle and a cannon punched through the railing next to Kate, she sucked in a breath and then sighed heavily.
"So what do we do?" Will asked blowing hair out of his face.
"The other boat uh ship, it's the Pearl are you sure?" she asked firmly.
"Of course" he nodded strongly.
"Right then" Kate sighed.
Growling and laughing was heard from the firing ship as gunfire was heard overhead. The slight mist had turned dark with smoke from pistols and cannons as pieces of wood from the ship scattered in the water.
"We abandon ship," Kate nodded.
"We do?" Will inquired and ducked again.
"We have to, but we have to swim to the Pearl" Kate said, just a bit of regret in her voice.
Will looked at her shocked. Swim through gunfire to the Black Pearl?
"I can't let Baron get his bloody hands on me, I'm to young to die Will" Kate whispered harshly.
She pleaded to him, something Will was not expecting.
Will slowly nodded.
"Ok" he sighed.
"Terrific" Kate nodded sarcastically.
They crawled across the damaged and burning deck towards the stern. Kate climbed over the railing unnoticed, followed by Will. The two of them slowly and silently climbed down the ship to make a quiet splash.
Gunfire was still going on and the Fearless was slowly sinking, meeting its doom only hours after being christened.
The pair swam quickly towards the Black Pearl but did so as quietly as possible.
The enemy pirates were so stupid that they hadn't noticed that they were attacking an empty ship.
After a few minutes Kate and Will made it to the starboard side of the Black Pearl. A crewmember with a parrot on his shoulder was leaning on the rigging and noticed the two of them but he didn't say anything.
"Sinkin' a Rodger, Sinkin' a Rodger," the parrot squawked loudly.
Kate looked at Will bemused.
A fatter crewmember with a slight grey beard leant over the railing and noticed the two.
"Cotton's right, man overboard!" he yelled to the crew. "It be Will and a lady"
A rope was thrown down to them and Will and Kate grabbed hold of it.
They were pulled up with mighty force onto the deck of the Black Pearl and both fell onto their hands and knees breathing heavily, it really was a long swim from the two ships.
A hand pulled Will up but no one helped Kate up she sighed heavily and pulled herself up. When she got halfway Will grabbed her arm and pulled her up.
"C'mon lads, we better be getting' away from that battle, s'not ours" the fatter pirate said to the crewmembers and they continued to work. "Will, what are ye doin' 'ere?" he asked.
"Here to see Jack, Mr Gibbs" Will smiled and he pushed hair out of his face.
"Aye" Gibbs nodded, "The Cap'n has been actin' diff'rent at the moment" he nodded again then noticed that Kate was there, it seems he had forgotten.
"And who be this woman, it's bad luck to 'ave ye aboard ye know, we already 'ave one" he said.
Kate looked at him strangely.
"I'm 'ere to see a one Cap'n Jack Sparrow" she said as she eyed them all, looking for Jack.
"She sounds like a pirate, mates" Gibbs grinned and looked to Will who nodded. "Righty then, lets find Jack" he laughed.
The crew turned to the cabin and Gibbs walked to it and banged on the doors.
"Some people to see ye Cap'n" he said.
"Wha'?"
Gibbs looked to Kate, slightly embarrassed as if that was completely unprofessional.
"Some people were found overboard, sir. Says they're 'ere to see ya" Gibbs yelled again.
"Oh, alrigh'" was yelled.
Knocking footsteps called through the doors, they were the same beat as Kate's heart. She was so close to her father and she could feel it. The doors to the cabin opened and out walked a man with dark, dread lock hair, darl kohl lined eyes, a red bandana, loose shirt with a sash, slacks and old weatherworn boots.
He was just as Kate had expected.
"Who be 'ere at this time of night?" he asked, he seemed drunk.
The gunfire was distant now. They were faraway from the other pirates.
"Cap'n it's William Turner and a girl" Gibbs nodded.
"Will? A girl?" Jack asked as if it was absurd.
It seemed as if he was having trouble supporting his own head.
"Take a gander cap'n" a crewmember shouted.
Jack slowly wobbled towards Will and Kate. His eyes wondered over her, she could tell he wasn't sure about her at all. But she could see something in his eyes, as if he had a feeling about her. It was just the way he looked at her. It was like he knew something.
"William" he smiled and bowed, still trying to keep his balance, Kate now understood it was part of his demeanour.
Will smiled and saluted. By these actions the two seemed to have a colourful past.
"And who be this lovely creature ye brought with ya, Will?" he asked and bowed to Kate, she could tell he was still unsure.
"Jack, this is Kate. She's a pirate" Will informed.
"A pirate?" Jack asked in a ridiculed surprise. "This girl, be a pirate, this Kate is a pirate?"
"Yes I am" she growled, "Ye 'ave a problem with that Cap'n?"
'Ooh's' and cackles erupted from the crew.
Kate pushed soaking wet hair out of her face.
"Do I 'ave a problem with ya?" Jack asked and strolled closer to the soaking wet girl that was on his deck.
She wore dark slacks and old worn boots, as a pirate should but what she wore for a shirt was strange. It was the top half of a dress, a purple corset with sleeves to her elbows.
And her hair, it seemed like a pirates, beads thread through it but it also seemed too clean. What really caught his eye was the old blue ribbon; it couldn't be the same one that he thought of.
"Ye are but a girl, a teenager at most" he said glaring into her eyes which seemed very familiar. "How can ye call yur'self a pirate?"
Jack slipped his hand onto Kate's sword and slowly pulled it from its holster. He inspected it.
"This sword 'as 'ardly been used, my dear. A pirate always uses his sword"
"I just stole that one" Kate snapped back, "From Will actually" she motioned for Will.
Jack turned clumsily to Will who nodded regretfully.
"It's an expensive one too, Jack"
Jack grinned at Will then looked at Kate. He flipped the sword and offered it back. He grinned again this time to Kate.
She took the sword from his hands and smiled slightly back.
"Welcome aboard Kate" Jack said still grinning, he let his had land on her shoulder. "You'll fit right in, lass"
And will that he stumbled away to his quarters.
Ta Da! Chapter three in all its glory!
So father and daughter have met...but father does not know of daughter...yet.
Interesting.
Thanks to seeingblack08, blondechick903, ThunderBenderPrincess, DarkAngelSuicide and Phoenix Plames for their nice (I hate the word nice, it doesn't give enough credit) comments, reviews and whatnots I REALLY appreciate them, they make me smile and sometime say 'awww' out loud. Thanks again guys, you rock.
This chapter took longer than I hoped, school just started up and I had camp so don't expect a new chapter every few days from now on. Sorry, it's gonna take me longer, guys!