The trip to Isla de Muerta took almost three days. The Black Pearl wad the fastest ship in the Caribbean, and Jack was putting her to the test. He did not really know why it was that he was trying so hard to get to the Island so fast. Bootstrap had waited for over ten years. Surely a few more days wouldn't make any difference. Will was putting off the actual meeting because he obviously had no idea what was going to happen. And Marti… Well, Marti was a confusing person. She wanted to see her friend, but like the rest of the crew, she knew the odds were not good. The odds I'm talking about are the ones that say, there's a one in a thousand chance that when you meet the man who's been dead at the bottom of the ocean for ten years, he won't try to slice your head off.
Jack spent the entire duration of the trip at the helm, with only a bottle of Rum for company. One which he hadn't actually touched since the journey began. The instant he saw the Island in the distance, his shoulders relaxed for the first time in days.
"Land ho!" Ana Maria cried, who was in the crows nest. Jack looked up and saw the look in her eyes. The last time she had spotted Isla de Muerta, the situation had been dire. And there was not telling that it was going to be a barrel of laughs this time. "At least there be no bloodthirsty pirates this time." She called down to him.
"No," Jack said, pulling out his telescope, "What there be, is Savannah Flint." He lowered his telescope. Ana Maria slid down the pole from the nest and stepped up next to him.
"Failed to mention that point did you Captain?"
"What's wrong with Savannah Flint?" Ana Maria sighed,
"Nothing wrong with her." She said, "But every time you mention her name we almost get killed. Very painfully." Jack smiled, and laughed mirthlessly,
"But," He said, "We haven't yet."
"Yet."
Savannah spotted the Pearl through her telescope before Ana Maria saw the Island. She knew the ship's silhouette well, and had seen it on the horizon many a time, often when it hadn't seen her. She stood up and walked slowly to the edge of the water, to await the jolly boats.
"Who is that?" Elizabeth asked Jack, who was in the same boat as Will and herself.
"Savannah Flint," Jack said, "I tell ye, there'll be more women on this ship soon then there be men."
"This is not going to go well," Ana Maria said, to Marti, who nodded. Clay, who was behind them leant forward and whispered in Ana Maria's ear,
"Why do you say that?"
"That," She told him, "Is Savannah Flint. She be one of the captains oldest… friends."
"Do we sense some rivalry for the dear captains affections?" Ana Maria ignored him, whilst Marti looked absolutely disgusted.
"No." Ana Maria said simply, "You clearly have not met the woman before."
"Bit of a wench is she?"
"No!"
"Pity."
"Clay," Marti said, exasperated, "Savannah Flint is probably one of the best pirates ever to live."
"Well I've never heard of her." Marti smiled smugly,
"Exactly."
"Her grandfather was Captain John Flint," Ana Maria felt the boat move as Clay jolted at the mention of the famous pirate's name.
"Then I sincerely hope she takes after her grandmother's side of the family."
Savannah greeted the Captain by handing him the box she was holding. Looking slightly confused he held it, then felt an overwhelming wave of… something pass over him. He did not know what it was, but instantly, he knew that this was no longer just a man hunt.
One by one, the rest of the crew, barring Cotton, Gibbs and Mort, stepped ashore. Will received no more than a glance from Savannah, and she nodded to acknowledge the girls.
"Martina," She said, "Ana Maria,"
"Captain Sparrow," She said, "We must not stay here. We have to get to Isla de Corona as soon as possible." Jack was still looking at the box.
"What is in this box?"
"I'm sure the answer to that question can wait."
"What's in the box Flint?" Jack's gaze left the box and bored intently into her eyes. She held his gaze, but knew that there was no contest.
"The way to Isla de Corona,"
"Then why not open it here?"
"I would have thought you would want to return to your ship."
"When I know that your box isn't going to blow it up." Savannah gave in.
"Fine." She said, "But you must not open it." Her gaze left Jack and moved to Will. "William Turner," She said. It was not a question, it was a fact.
"I must open the box?"
"What is so terrible that can be contained in such a small box?" Elizabeth asked. Savannah glanced at her, then at Jack,
"Not a pirate, is she?" Will said something to Elizabeth, and Savannah decided to enlighten her further. "Pirates are not only 'superstitious' as you people so often call it, but we are also very good at staying alive. Due to our superstitious habits of course."
"You have to open the box Will," Jack said to him.
"And how am I to know it won't blow up in my face, or something worse?"
"I say it won't." Savannah said. Will gave her a look that basically told her where to go. He did not trust her. A woman, no, pirate he had just met on a beach, carrying a suspicious box and claiming to know the whereabouts of his supposedly dead father. Sure, he thought, Why not put my life and my wife's in her hands?
"Will," Jack said, "You should know that Savannah has never lied to me in her life. Not once."
"Really?" Will asked, "Well done." In the last few days, Will's mind had been in so much confusion and turmoil that he didn't even have the heart to put enough humour into the insult. He looked at the box and took it from Jack. "If we all die," He said, "It's your fault."
"Oh no lad," Jack said, "It's your bloody father's."
"Will placed the box on the sand and lifted the clasps. The box was open, well, unlocked anyway. No one looked at anything but the slit of light that was creeping out from the inside of the box. Will slowly lifted the lid and revealed what appeared to be… light. It was light, inside the box, but it didn't light up the beach. Not even the faces of the onlookers. It was just… there. Confused, Will looked about to over closer, even try to touch it when Savannah grabbed his shoulder and pulled him back.
"Wait." She said. They did so. The light seemed to swim around in the box, floating from one side to another. Then, it started to move in a circle, until it became a swirling vortex, hypnotising the crew. Savannah stood at Jack's side and touched him arm, barely making contact, but he backed away. His eyes glinted as a sudden sense of realisation dawned on him.
"Get down," He said, quietly. "GET DOWN!" His words cut through the silence and brought the minds of his crew back from wherever it was that they had gone. Every one there rolled, leapt or ran just as the vortex rose and shot up into the sky, the wave of power it created sent them all flying further away. The light disappeared and everyone shook themselves back together. Automatically, the crew all looked to Savannah, who did not return the favour. She was staring up at the sky, in the kind of what that was infectious.
Among the stars in the sky, there were new ones, that had not been there before.
"What was that about nothing blowing up, Jack?"
Way hey! New reviewer!
Michelle, thanks for your review, and I no, the lovey dovey stuff gets boring after a while doesn't it? The is going to be romance in this story, but it is far from easy!
U-ne-korn, wow, you could be related to Savannah! You never know, she does seem a bit… well, you know what I mean, who knows what she got up to!
Loving ya always,
Savvy Z