It had been nearly a day since the trio had left Port Royale, and for nearly all that time, Martina had been half laid, half sat propped up by the wall of the cabin, every now and again turning the wheel slightly. It was obvious she knew exactly where she was going. Will had gone below decks to see what he could find, and Elizabeth had stayed above deck with their unconventional 'captain'. She regarded her for some time before approaching.
Martina noticed her presence when the bright light of the sun in her eyes was disrupted. She opened her eyes, squinted slightly, and swung herself upright.
"Aye?" She said, conversationally. Elizabeth sat down beside her.
"You really aren't going to tell us what is going on, are you?" She asked her.
"Like I told ye before," She said, "I gave me word,"
"But I thought you could always be trusted to be untrustworthy. So why can't you tell us?" Martina smiled approvingly.
"For an English woman, you've got a good head on your shoulders." She said, "But it's got a lot to learn about pirates."
"Oh yes?"
"I gave Cap'n my word. A pirate cannot go back on their word." Elizabeth thought for a moment.
"Well, I have noticed… with the code and everything, but in my experience-"
"Are we talking your Barbosa experience?" She asked, "There's a slight difference between-"
"The last time I saw Jack Sparrow, he made a very crude remark and then fell off a cliff." Martina sighed,
"Ah. But-"
"I will admit that there is an immense difference between the two crews of the Black Pearl. But a pirate's a pirate."
"Aye, that I am," Martina said, turning the wheel slightly, "And so be your William." The pair did not speak for a long time, but something Martina said had stuck in Elizabeth's mind. She had said herself that Will was a pirate, she used to think pirates were wonderful, exotic people. What had changed? She'd stopped living on ships and started living in a British household. When she'd been kidnapped by Barbosa, she'd had that experience of living on ships again. She'd met pirates, she'd always dreamed about it, and then she married one. Only, the one she married was perfectly happy living on dry land, away from his roots, away from the sea.
At that moment, Will came back on deck carrying some pistols and bullets.
"For a jewellery merchant, there doesn't seem to be much jewellery down there," Martina flipped up her bag so that a collection of pearls, gold necklaces, rings, pendants, bracelets and more spilled over the edge.
"That's because I got there first mate," Elizabeth couldn't help but laugh at the look on Will's face. "I think it will be good for you two to live like pirates for a while," Martina said, "Living in your little house, with all your money that you don't seem to do much with and going through everyday, doin' the same thing? That be no way to live."
"And the life of a pirate is?" Will had never been comfortable with his heritage,
"Live every day as it comes, see new places, meet new people, (often for not very long) and you get to live like kings wherever you go after a good haul."
"If it's that good, then why doesn't every man do it?" Will asked her, sarcastically,
"It's the noose, is not it?" She answered, "The lubbers be scared out their wits of it. But us pirates, we say, what pain is hanging after a life of fulfilment?"
"You have an answer for everything." Elizabeth said,
"I was born at sea," Martina said, "My mother died giving birth to me and my father raised me. I didn't set foot on land until I was five years old, when my father died. I've lived on pirate ships ever since, and my life has been incredible." She looked at them both, "And your lives are about to get a lot better."
The trip to Tortuga took over two days and by the time the island was actually in view Will and Elizabeth were sleeping in a cabin below deck. Martina had swung herself up to the top of the crows nest. Her eyes flashed at the site she beheld. As fast as she got up there, she swung down and stuck her head into the couple's cabin,
"Look alive!" She yelled, waking them both up with a start, "We be here,"
She climbed back up to the crows nest and whipped out her telescope. The site she beheld was one for sore eyes. The Black Pearl. She had not seen it in so long, and there it was, easily the most magnificent ship in the harbour. It seemed to take an age and more to get level with it to dock, and when they finally got there, Martina spotted a figure she knew well hanging over the side of the deck to greet her,
"Buena mañana mi amigo!" She called loudly, Ana Maria smiled back at her,
"T'is not morning yet Marti," She called, "I be the only one in the land of the livin' at the present moment."
"I take it Jack's been taking full advantage of having his ship back then," Elizabeth commented,
"If you mean getting rat faced every waking moment of the day then I'd say you're correct Elizabeth," Ana Maria told her. Then directing her voice toward Marti, she said,
"Hurry up and come on board. I'm sure when he wakes the Captain will be wanting to see ye." Marti mock saluted,
"Aye-aye sir!" She called, "Captain Marotos of the…" She leant over the edge of the boat and almost slid overboard when she read the same, "the golden dingy?" She sounded disgusted, "I've been cruising around the Caribbean in a ship called the golden dingy?"
Will, who had in fact noticed the same of the boat whilst still at Port Royale, laughed to himself. In many ways Marti reminded him of Jack, who, whilst getting him into some very tricky situations, had been amusing company. She always frowned like he did when she was working something out, and there was something about her eyes… when you looked into them, deep into them, you could tell when she was being sincere. That had been the one thing that had convinced him to believe her story when they had first met. It was strange to him how he felt he could instantly trust the word of someone who was obviously a pirate, and then when any English gentleman spoke to him, he could never quite trust everything they said.
Ana Maria was waiting for them on the dock side. She held something out to Marti, who grabbed it eagerly the instant her feet touched the shore.
"Me hat!" She cried, "Where did ye find it?" Ana Maria shrugged her shoulders,
"You'd have to ask Captain Sparrow," She said, "He's the one who found it." Marti put on her hat and patted it down.
"That I will." She said.
On an island, far, far away… Well, not that far away. In fact, it was about four days trip from Tortuga, and still in the Caribbean. Anyway. On this island, not so far away a pirate sat on a beach, legs crossed, staring out over the ocean. A shooting star streamed through the night's sky, and disappeared far out over the horizon. A few seconds after it had left view, the pirate let go of a feather, as black as the night sky. It floated forward, then the wind changed direction drastically, and it twisted in mid flight, changing it's direction back to land.
"That's interestin'" The pirate said, thoughtfully, and took a swig of rum, "That's very interestin' indeed."
Hey there readers and reviewers!
u-ne-korn – thanks a lot, and heres the next chapter just for u! and every one else.
I have planned this story like, a million times, and now its right, so I hope u enjoy it. Looks like a long one.
Every one else, wheres the reviews?!? Come on guys, I need sum support here!
C yaz,
Savvy Z