Savannah walked silently along the beach near to where the Black Pearl was anchored. Her feet felt heavy, for the first time in years, and she felt tired. Exhausted. She was never exhausted, she could always keep going. She was strong, she was a survivor.
Right now, she didn't feel particularly strong, she didn't feel like a survivor. She felt alone, she felt lost, and above all she felt the sense of realisation that she was a mutineer.
She had turned on the people who had grown to trust her with their lives. She had betrayed what was almost her crew. That was mutiny. She had never committed mutiny, and she had been so driven my revenge that she had completely ignored her morals, her better instincts, and the code.
It wasn't fair. Will had his father back, Marti had her friend back, Jack had his quartermaster, and what did she have? An enemy. And now it seemed that he wasn't even responsible for Joseph's death.
It wasn't fair. Elena would never have her father back, and she, Savannah would never have her Joseph back.
Damn Jack for killing Barbosa! She would never get the chance to avenge her husband's death. But did that matter? As long as the bastard was dead.
The truth was, Savannah did care, because revenge had been pretty much her driving force for the last decade. Now, what did she have? Nothing. Just the responsibility of caring for a daughter, who she had so far taught to be like her because she thought it had been the right thing to do. Now what if Elena did something like this one day? It would be her fault.
But Savannah had survived so far. She had never been caught, never been named. At least Elena would have the freedom she had.
Savannah had seen her grandfather die, when she was only four years old. He had been in pain, he had been alone. And there had been nothing she could do. Her parents weren't there. Her parents had been too bust sealing their own fates, just like her grandfather.
When the news came to her about her father's death, and he mother's strange disappearance, she hadn't cried. She hadn't even been shock. In fact, she had been thankful that her father had been killed in battle, like he would have wanted, instead of the same way as his father. Her mother had been found several months later. She was dead. The idiot had killed herself.
At the age of seven, Savannah began to create alias's, fantastic characters who she could pretend to be, and then they could disappear without a trace. She had travelled to every country in Europe, to every island in the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, India, all of Asia, she had been everywhere. She had learned everything she needed to know.
Savannah had never had her parents there. She had never been able to talk to them, never had a relationship with them. Now she realised just how much her life had been messed up. Sure she had a good deal in life. She could do whatever she wanted, go wherever she pleased. But when it got down to it, she was alone. She had no one to help her when she was in trouble. This crew she was with now. Even if they forgave her, if they understood, she would be alone. She would leave, she didn't want their help. The only person she wanted, the only person she needed was Joseph.
She was not going to make the mistake her parents had. Sure, she had provided for Elena, given her the opportunity to have an amazing life. But had she ever been there for her? The answer was plain and simple. No. Well that was going to change.
"Savannah?" Ana Maria stepped out from the edge of the forest, her pistol in her hand and a relieved expression on her face now knowing she had managed to make it through the forest.
"Ana," Savannah nodded in acknowledgement.
"No one hates you," Ana said, sliding her pistol into it's strap, "I mean, Bill's maybe a bit resentful about nearly being shot, but I've spoken to them. They understand."
"They pity." Savannah informed her, "And so do you. I neither deserve, nor desire your pity."
"Then what do you desire?"
"What I desire is safe passage to an inhabited island, and what I deserve is to be left here."
"What you desire seems to be the most likely course of action. I hardly see Jack leaving you here. What are you going to do now?" Savannah shrugged, and Ana could sense a definite change in her. She was not acting like Savannah. Ana could see what she was thinking, what she was feeling. She never could before.
"Stay out of the way."
"And what will that achieve?"
"Me not killing any one?" Ana looked at her, sceptically,
"Very mature." She said, "By the way, Jack wanted to come and talk to you, but I wouldn't let him."
"He should be with Rosaline," Savannah revealed, "She is insanely jealous of the other women on this voyage, that's what she saw when we were attacked." Ana nodded,
"Jack's with her now." She paused, "Savannah, you have some way of knowing things like this…"
"I may have been known in the past to have a good judgement."
"Does he love her?"
"Yes." Ana whistled,
"Did not expect that one." Savannah sighed,
"Neither did Jack."
The crew of the Black Pearl reached the Jolly Boats, their arms laden with gold, silver and jewels. Several were dragging chest's full of coins behind them. They had looted the cave and taken the most useful of the treasure. The jewels, and statues and weapons were more use to them than a lot of the money, some of which was so old that it wouldn't even be accepted in Tortuga anymore. Ana and Savannah were still stood talking. Will, Elizabeth, Marti and Bill were at the front of the group, and Savannah was met with general avoidance of eye contact. Jack pushed his was through to the front,
"All hands back to the Pearl!" He yelled, not looking at Savannah. The crew silently clambered into the boats. Savannah was left in one with Jack, Rosaline and Ana.
The entire crew rowed back in silence. Savannah kept her eyes fixed on the ship, right until they got to it. When they were inboard, she quietly slipped to her cabin, where she locked the door, laid down on her bed, and actually shed a tear, for the second time in her entire life.
Okay, MBM, I officially love you and hate the internet! It's been down all week, but you, my faithful every chapter reviewer brightened my day when I was finally able to read your review. If it breaks down again I am going to upload the entire rest of the story in one go and be done with it!
Went to see love actually, was tres good! Watch it.
Love y'all
Savvy Z