Captain Barbossa was studying the charts when Narcissa stormed into the cabin looking rather irritated.
"Why didn't you tell me about your bargain with Tia Dalma?" she demanded. Surprise and annoyance filled Barbossa. Although with the way her eyes were flashing and her lips pursed, he was also briefly reminded of her mother Lydia. Now THAT was a woman with a temper.
"How'd ye know about that?" he asked shaking himself from his revery.
"Tia Dalma told me," she replied. "She said you have some deal to fulfill in exchange for the resurrection." He saw worry cloud his daughter's face as her voice quieted. "She said if you don't fulfill it, you'll die again." Barbossa sighed.
"Well, I have every intention of keepin me word so you needn't be concerned." Narcissa appeared unconvinced.
"What does this bargain entail?" she asked. Barbossa paused. His daughter's worry was precisely why he hadn't told her about the deal.
"Bloody sea witch," he muttered. He gestured for Narcissa to take a seat and began his explanation.
"Tia Dalma isn't just any sea witch. She's the goddess Calypso in human form," Narcissa's eyes widened and he could tell she understood the gravity of the situation. After all he'd told her plenty of sea stories as a child.
"How did that happen?" she queried.
"The first Brethren Court bound her to gain control of the seas. She can only be freed by the 9 members of the Court."
"Which is why she needs you and Jack," said Narcissa comprehension dawning on her face.
"Precisely," Barbossa replied.
"Does anyone else know?" she asked. Barbossa shook his head.
"No. And I'd like to keep it that way." Narcissa nodded.
"Of course. So many secrets on this boat," she murmured.
"It's how ye survive in this world," Barbossa told her. Every day he saw his daughter improve when it came to piracy. But she still had much to learn.
"That's true enough," she agreed before standing up. "But I don't want anymore secrets between us. We're in this together." Narcissa placed a hand on his arm, gazing up at him with those blue eyes so like his. Once again Hector was filled with a sense of gratitude that he was able to have his daughter here with him.
"I know you want to protect me but I'm safer knowing the truth." Barbossa nodded.
"Yer right lass. Sometimes I forget how much you've grown. I'll not hold anything else back." Narcissa smiled.
"Good, I'm glad that's settled." she turned to leave. "I'd better get back out there."
"What's yer hurry?" he asked.
"Well, while you were dead Ragetti went religious and now I'm teaching him to read. Mind you considering how protective he and Pintel were of me after you died it's the least I can do."
Hector was glad to hear that his two longest standing crew members had taken it upon themselves to look out for his daughter when he couldn't. He raised an eyebrow.
"Any luck?" Narcissa shrugged.
"A little. Who knows, by the time we finish this voyage he may complete a full sentence," her tone was fond but joking and Barbossa chuckled as she left.
Narcissa might have her mother's temper, but she had his humor.
PotC
Passing time on a ship headed where no man had ever returned from before wasn't always easy. Mercifully they hadn't run into any opposition since leaving Singapore. But it made things a bit dull.
The cold was beginning to set in now and the crew wasn't exactly cheery. Especially those provided by Sao Feng who had no personal stake in the matter. To keep warm and pass the time Narcissa practiced her swordfighting usually with Will or her father.
She was still suspicious of Will and hoped in part that she could figure out what his plan was before it caused any damage. Currently she was facing the blacksmith. Both were incredibly focused as they circled each other. It was just like old times back in Port Royal.
Will lunged forward and Narcissa parried. She attempted to land a strike of her own but Will swiftly blocked the blow. She ducked his next swing and got behind him. He was just barely able to spin around and block her sword in time. The clashing metal rang out across the ship.
Seeing he was off-balance she pressed her advantage and with a few more well-placed blows disarmed him, pointing her sword at his heart.
"I win!" she said with a smile that Will returned good-naturedly.
"So, you do Cissa."
Out of the corner of her eye she saw Ragetti and Pintel exchange coins with some of the Chinese crew members. Apparently, they had been betting on her and Will's fight.
Suddenly she felt cold steel against her neck.
"Not quite. Ye beat Turner but ye'd be bleeding on the deck a second later."
Narcissa turned to see her father who lowered his sword.
"How often do I have te tell ye to watch yer back?"
"But that's not fair, you weren't part of the match," argued Narcissa.
"Ye think Beckett and his lapdog's 'll play fair?" her father countered. Narcissa sighed.
"You've got a point. By now the only difference between us and the East India Trading Company is the dress blues and the superiority complex." Her father snorted in agreement. She sheathed her sword and followed him to the helm.
"How soon till we get to the locker?" she asked.
"Not long now," replied her father. It was a vaguer answer than she would have liked but Narcissa supposed sailing to the locker wasn't your average trip. Nonetheless food would soon be running short if her calculations were correct.
"We wouldn't have to worry as much about speed if bloody Borrington hadn't given the heart to Beckett," she growled. When making their plans to go to Singapore Tia Dalma had informed them that she had seen Norrington giving Davy Jones's heart to Beckett. Clearly Narcissa hadn't misjudged Norrington after all.
"I take it ye weren't too fond of him even before this," her father said. Narcissa scoffed.
"Not at all. The first time I met him he informed me that all pirates deserved a short walk and a quick stop. Gibbs was kind enough to translate." Her father chuckled.
"I can see how that wouldn't endear 'im to ye." Narcissa nodded, thinking back to the passage from England to Port Royal. And then something clicked.
"The Pearl," she said softly.
PotC
"The Pearl" Captain Barbossa heard his daughter mutter softly.
"What's that?" he asked.
"Elizabeth was right when we first were brought on board the Pearl. We DID see the ship on the passage to England," she explained.
"What of it?" he said uneasy about where this discussion was going.
"Did you know that I was on board?" Narcissa asked looking up at him curiously.
Barbossa sighed. He'd sworn not to hide anything from his daughter and thus acquiesced.
"Yes."
*flashback*
Captain Barbossa's POV
The Pearl had just blown the merchant ship to bits after thoroughly searching it from top to bottom for the medallion and/or the Turner boy. Yet there had been no such luck.
In the distance he spotted a passenger ship. Perhaps the boy had found sanctuary there. The Captain pulled out his spyglass and was about to order an attack when what he saw on the deck of the ship stopped him in his tracks.
On the deck were two young girls dressed in fancy clothes which indicated a higher status. The older girl dressed in pale green was standing allowing him to get a better look at her. It was Narcissa.
She hadn't changed much in the few intervening years. She was slightly taller and her face perhaps held less innocence than it had before her mother's passing but overall, she appeared safe and happy. It seemed fate had favored her. She had the comfortable life he had wanted for her and known he could not provide.
Barbossa drank in the sight of his beloved daughter for a few moments longer. He knew in his heart he couldn't risk calling the attack. Much as he longed to hold his daughter in his arms and get the medallion to break the curse, his concern for her welfare outweighed his personal desires.
*flashback*
Young Narcissa's POV
Narcissa watched over Elizabeth's shoulder as the little boy, was brought on board, soaking wet and nearly unconscious. Elizabeth knelt over him in worry but Narcissa was more concerned with what had caused the boy to end up in his current situation. She didn't think Gibbs was far off when he said it had been pirates.
Suddenly through the smoke she saw a large ship with black sails and a jolly roger. She squinted and through the smoke could just make out a tall figure silhouetted where the helm would be though she couldn't make out any details. Seconds later it was completely obscured by smoke disappearing almost like a ghost ship.
*End Flashback*
Captain Barbossa's POV
"But if you had attacked the ship you would have found Will and the medallion, you could have been freed earlier," exclaimed Narcissa. Barbossa shrugged.
"Ye had the life I'd hoped for and I had no intention of ruining that." It had been the one time he'd made a decision regarding his crew based purely on his personal feelings. And despite the way things had turned out. With him dead. Barbossa couldn't bring himself to regret it. His actions had kept his daughter safe which was the thing that had mattered most.
Narcissa smiled and placed a hand on his arm clearly understanding the weight behind the decision.
"Thank you," she told him gently. He merely nodded in response.
Author's Note: A few revelations in the chapter, I hope you enjoyed it. If you did please let me know your thoughts in the comments it really means a lot and helps with motivation. To answer a few questions left in the comments. A reminder Narcissa's mother, Lydia Davis died of typhus when Narcissa was eight. No I don't think I'll write a story after this about Will as while I like his character well enough I'm not particularly passionate about him which is kind of what drives my stories. I also find writing a majority of the story from a female POV as I am well, female. As for the live action Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast Adaptations while I do like them very much I don't see anything I could really add with a story. Also yes will get a flashback to both the start of Narcissa's friendship with Will and her adoption. Thanks again to everyone for reading! Until next week!
