Chapter Five: Tortuga

~~ I sat in my cell along with the other men and inspected the small casket, nothing seemed out of place on it, and, when I told the men of what happened above they highly encouraged me to do as the Captain instructed me to; to press the star on the top. I placed the casket beside me, where we could all see it, and I pressed the star; the star slowly rose until it stood vertically atop of it. Then there were several small clicks and the two sides, beside the star on the casket, stood out and then fell to the casket's side; unveiling a small pirate ship sailing upon the water on the right side, and, on the left side a man and woman danced together to the music of a harpsichord! And, the woman, she looked like me! And, the man, he looked like the Captain!

The star spun slowly, as did the couple and the boat floated over the waves in time with the couple, star, and music. A few moments later and the song ended, the couple and boat retreated into the casket and were replaced by a small platform, and, on the platform sat a ruby red rose. I gave a smile and hesitantly lifted it off of the platform; as soon as I did, the platform retracted and a little figurine appeared; it was a miniature Captain! He was sat before an organ, playing it; the figurine actually swayed with the organ's notes! When this little show ended, I clapped and the casket put itself back together again, leaving me to hold the rose.

~~ For a few day's time I heard nothing from the Captain and spoke solely with my cell mates, that was, until our boat stopped and I heard commotion coming from outside, laughter, people were laughing, and, not just people, women! Women's laughter, church bells ringing, birds screaming, and men laughing heartily; we were at a port! I stood quickly, clutching the casket close to my chest when the door to the prison was opened and in walked a crewmate, he came straight to my cell and stopped before it. "The Cap'n wan'ed me to tell 'ya that 've ported at Tortuga" said the crew member, I paused and blurted out:

"What's a Tortuga?" And all my male friends began laughing until their faces turned blue! The man to my left, whose nickname was Willy, explained to me what a Tortuga was.

"It's a port madam! A buck wild port filled with drunk pirates and thirsty prostitutes" Willy explained; my brows furrowed.

"If they're thirsty why don't they just get some water?" I asked and their laughter began anew, this time, tears streamed down their cheeks. Before Willy could explain the same authoritive footsteps resonated about the prison cells and within seconds the Captain was fully visible coming down the stairs. His presence was so awesome and regal it caused all of us to pause and watch in awe; he stepped before my cell and a smile festered upon his face. He no longer adorned his white mask and his face was fully visible, however, in the darkness of the prison room, I could only see his fiery yellow eyes.

"The thirsty they're speaking of is not the thirsty you know. Let the matter drop, a bottle of rum awaits me" said the Captain, pushing his crewman before him; I bit my lip.

"Captain!" I yelled quickly, hoping that his ears caught my weak voice. I saw his silhouette turn and his eyes were once again lying upon me. "Thank you" I said, holding the bars of my prison; he grunted and turned away again, leaving as fast as he came. For some reason, when I knew he was coming, I felt warm inside and now that he was gone, I was cold again and I sat down upon the bench.

"Aw, honey, what's wrong? We didn't mean to laugh at 'ya" Willy said, I smiled; Willy could've been my father for how caring he was!

"It's not that...well...I'm not entirely sure what it is I just...I feel cold inside" said I, glancing down to the rose and giving a weak smile. "I don't know" I added with a sigh. I looked back up to Willy to see a smile enveloping his face. "What?" I asked, he turned to the other men trapped in cells and they were smiling like he too!

"What?" I demanded, smiling.

"You know" Willy said, playfully punching my arm; once again, I was confused.

"No...no I don't" I said, shaking my head slightly. Willy sighed.

"You like him" Willy said in a singsonging tone. I jumped off of the bench.

"I do not!"

"You do so" Willy argued, his smile growing larger than his face. "I see the way you look at him and call out for him; you just...may not have realized it yet. And, pumpkin, it's not just me; we all see it." He said, motioning to all our cellmates who all carried large smiles upon their faces and their heads bobbed back and forth in a nod. I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms, deciding to ignore them; Willy laughed ever harder.

"Your denial only makes us believe harder, Anna" he finished; I turned away from him and leaned against the hull of the boat, staring at the rose I was bequeathed.

~~ The day came and went without making so much of a peep in my universe; I was bored out of my mind and the little casket wouldn't play anymore! I sighed and stared at that rose for hours, I was almost asleep when a few drunken crewmates made their way down to the prison deck and accidently flung the keys to my cell, into my cell! Slowly, so as not to alert them, I picked the keys off of the ground and hid them behind my back; smiling and nodding along with their singing when they faced me. Then, they turned and walked right back upstairs! I smiled and unlocked my cell, carrying the rose and casket with me.

"Willy?" I asked, Willy was curled up on his bench, asleep. "Willy?" I asked again, banging on the bars to his cage; he snored and jumped awake.

"Huh, wait, what?" Willy asked suddenly, sitting up and rubbing his eyes sleepily. "Anna? What are you doin' out of your cell?" Asked Willy; he now stood and walked to the bars, where I was.

"I'm going to go home, Willy, and I'm going to live in peace, back in London. Tell me where the keys are and I'll get you out too" said I, grasping his hands through the bars; Willy grinned.

"Nah, pumpkin, I can stand it here, besides, I don't have anything to go home to; don't risk yourself for me. Wait, Anna, how are you going to get home?" Asked he, I paused and sighed.

"There's gotta be somebody willing to take me home, right?" I asked, Willy smiled.

"Yes, but, the real question is, honey, is are they here or are you already on their ship?" Willy asked and I paused for a moment, I shook my head and twirled the key around my finger; I found a brown, leather satchel and placed the casket and rose inside of it, throwing the satchel around my shoulder and neck. I patted Willy's hands and thanked him, I hung the keys up and turned back to him.

"Goodbye, Willy, perhaps we'll see one another one day" said I with a smile, Willy smiled back.

"Perhaps" he answered. "Goodbye, pumpkin. Be safe and stay out of the bars" Willy warned, I nodded and slowly walked up the stairs to the main deck, peeking out to see a few pirates passed out on the deck; whiskey bottles still in hand. As silently as I could I crept up the rest of the stairs and tiptoed past the slumbering pirates, I was barefoot so this was relatively easy. Distant laughter and drunken speech rung in my ears as I departed from the ship; I turned one last time and spotted the name of the ship, the Black Pearl.

As I walked down the pier I spotted a slumbering drunkard with a hat that had fallen off his head; I grasped the hat off of the ground and put it on my own head. The floppy front hid my face, but, some still sober pirates saw a fleeting glance of my dress and turned, but, I made my way away from them far too quickly for them to follow. I made it safely off of the pier, all I needed to do now was to get 'pirate' clothes so that I would fit in and tie up my hair. In this moment I walked past another slumbering pirate next to a clothesline, and, no one was really around...

So, I stole the man's clothes and quickly dressed in black trousers, two brown belts with gun holsters and a rapier holster filled with a rapier, a white, cotton shirt and black vest. I sighed and allowed my hair to lay around my shoulders, for, I would be given away by my bosom anyways. I turned away from the man I took the clothes from and I was immediately grasped by someone; it was a man, he was an inch or so taller than me and blonde hair fell to the bottom of his ears; his eyes were sparkling blue and he wore a small mustache below his nose. He was skinny but not as skinny as the Captain and his grasp was gentle; he smiled when he saw me. "Anna" said he and my face contorted into an expression of confusion.

"H-How do you know me?" I asked, breaking my arm from his grasp; now it was his turn to be confused.

"I'm Raoul; Raoul de Chagny, the man you were betrothed to" he explained.

"Betrothed to?" I asked "sir, I believe we have a mistake; I was never notified that I was being betrothed" said I, backing away from him; he gave a soft smile.

"Well, you were, and I have the paperwork aboard my ship" he explained.

"You're a pirate?" I asked and he laughed.

"Heavens no! I'm a privateer for the French Navy, mademoiselle" Raoul replied with a wide smile; it was kind of goofy and cute; I smiled and now looked at his dress. He wore a dark blue jacket with a red interior, a black ascot, a white, stripped petticoat and matching white trousers complete with black, buckled shoes with silver shoe buckles and, to hold back his hair, a black bow tied it all in the back. He looked reliable enough; however, I was weary of men captaining boats.

"I don't know, sir" said I, backing away even farther; I was ninety percent sure he was legitimately who he said he was, but, I just needed some time to myself.

"Oh, mademoiselle" Raoul started, sensing my weariness. "I swear I won't hurt you, in fact, I wish to marry you; in truth it was I who approached your parents Will and Elizabeth about the proposal. I'd seen you in a paper somewhere and I couldn't take my eyes off of you." Said he, his cheeks pinking. "I traveled from Paris to London and learned about you and I asked for your hand, and, your parents seeing my wealth and high stature of name agreed.

We set the wedding for Port Royal and then you and I would go wherever we wanted; however, it puzzles me that your parents said nothing of this to you." Raoul concluded; I nodded.

"Me too" I said simply. I sighed and turned half way around, seeing a few people spill from the bar doors behind us. "Do you want a drink?" I asked, pointing behind me. Raoul grinned and nodded, opening the bar doors for me.

"They're on me" said he as we walked through the pirate infested bar. People were laughing and speaking obnoxiously loud; drinking as much as they could and, four fights broke out in a succession of five minutes. As we sat at the bar counter I glanced around the room and I felt my blood turn to ice in my veins as I saw him again, the Captain. He stood in the corner of the room, smoking a cigarette and watching fights unfold before him; I quickly turned back towards the bar maiden and Raoul, attempting to hide my face from him. Raoul's brows furrowed at my alarm and I explained what happened to him; Raoul straightened up and narrowed his eyes in the Captain's direction.

I slapped his arm, not hard, though. "Don't do that" I hissed "he might come over here and believe me he is more hypnotic than you think" I blurted out; Raoul paused.

"Hypnotic?" He asked, staring down at me, he scoffed and laughed whilst my cheeks blushed. I pulled my hat down, attempting to block my face from the Captain when, just behind us, a fight broke out and I had no choice but to turn or I would be even more suspicious to him than I more than likely already was!

I kept my face as hidden as I could, but, I couldn't keep my eyes off of him, the Captain, I mean. I didn't know why but my eyes were glued to him and I watched every one of his graceful moves; the shaking of his cigarette, the tapping of his foot, how he slowly blew swirling, grey smoke between his lips and into the atmosphere around us, the slight smile that arrived upon his face when he turned away from the fight and closed his eyes. When I finally ripped my eyes from him I found that the fight was over and the bar maiden had finished pouring my drink; I turned back to my drink and took two gulps of it before cringing in disgust and coughing. Raoul chuckled. "First drink, huh?" Asked he, I nodded.

A few moments later I heard the Captain's long strides and respect-demanding footsteps start up and come closer, then, he stopped directly behind me. I closed my eyes and something was placed onto the bar, I glanced over to see his long, green skinned hand over a small, piece of paper. Then, I felt something at my ear. "I'm going to wait for you outside and if you don't come out I'm going to send in the crew men and you'll see how hungry a captain can be" said he, moving his hand away from the paper and I discovered it was money! As his footsteps dimmed I let out a sigh.

"Damn" I breathed, rubbing my face after he disappeared outside.

"What?" Raoul asked, during that encounter he had been watching another fight that ensued upon the second level of the bar.

"I just...I just wanted to go home" said I, Raoul smiled.

"I can take you home, we can go back to London, together" said he, I smiled at his proposal; see, someone did want to take me home!

"I can't" I said.

"And why ever so not? You've already broken the rule of not talking to strangers and having your first drink what else is there to break?" He asked, I laughed and sighed; he smiled.

"I mean, Raoul, he'll find me if I do come with you; he'll find me and take me back a-and kill you." I said tapping the glass of my drink. "I have to go outside and back to his ship or something worse will happen" I said softly; in this moment the back of my shirt was grabbed and I was ripped to the floor, gaining the breath being knocked out of my lungs. I gasped and rolled over, my hat falling off and I was kicked in the stomach and tripped over; causing me to fall onto my back. The door to the bar was thrown open and a greater fight ensued, and, this time, the Captain was in it!

He pounded mercilessly on the man who tore me away, and then threw that same man against the wall and began beating on the man who kicked me! I laid on the ground before him as he straightened up again and the entire bar fell silent; he turned to me and pulled me up, he was breathing heavily and he yanked me out of the bar. But, Raoul wasn't going to let me go so quickly; Raoul grasped onto my other arm and the Captain paused as I whimpered in pain at the two men's strength. The Captain turned and let go of my hand, now addressing Raoul, the Captain glanced over Raoul's appearance and chuckled; the heart-stopping menace had returned. "A privateer, I should've known" the Captain said, this was followed by a chorus of hissing and, a few men threw their cool beverages on Raoul!

Yet, even in this Raoul remained calm.

"What country? You're not British, not African...hmm...French, perhaps?" The Captain asked; keeping me behind him.

"Oui, monsieur" Raoul answered, wiping the hair and alcohol out of his eyes.

"Well, monsieur, I suggest you take your pompous ass and get your little, greedy, French paws away from my woman" the Captain hissed and the world seemed to stop for me. His woman?

Wait...what?

Raoul was struck with the same shock as I, but, he managed to laugh his away. "Your woman? Monsieur, I am either mistaken or you are, but, I see no ring gracing her finger to specify that she is yours" said Raoul; now, the Captain smiled and the crowd behind Raoul stepped a few paces away in consequence of this. The Captain nodded.

"You are indeed correct, sir. But, does one truly need a ring to signify what is theirs? Must I buy a ring for my rum? Must I buy a ring for my ship?" Asked the Captain and he was followed by a chorus of laughter; both male and female.

The Captain now turned to me and two of his crewmates. "Take her back to the ship and lock her in my quarters" the Captain said; the crew members grasped my arms and escorted me out. Raoul lunched for me but the Captain held him back and threw a punch for his cheek, starting a fight. By the time we were upon the pier and walking aboard the Black Pearl the Captain was trailing after us; a cigarette between his lips.