Disclaimer: I do not own the movies or the characters that you recognize. I am making no money off of this story.
Chapter Five:
The Fortuneteller
The tired and weary travelers made their way down the winding road, too exhausted to flinch or react to the sounds around them that went "bump" in the darkness.
"It's just a bit further," Jack promised for the third time.
"Do you even know where you're going?" Elizabeth grumbled. She had had enough for one day. She just wanted to sleep, although she doubted she would get much shut-eye even if they did find a safe place to lie down.
"Course I know where I'm going," Jack responded, stopping at an intersection and thinking hard before turning left.
Beside her, Thomas let out a yawn and rubbed his dropping eyes. Elizabeth's heart went out to him. He was a trooper. Not one word of complaint had come out of his mouth, even though she knew he must be tired and hungry just like her.
"I know you're tired, honey," his mother observed. "Try and stay awake a little longer. We're almost there."
"Sure we are," was all the child said.
"Ah! There it is!" Jack declared, pointing ahead of them.
A small hut seemed to appear out of the darkness. There was a single light coming from inside the house, most likely from a kitchen hearth. The rest of the structure blended in so well with the surrounding trees that if the light were extinguished, it would have practically disappeared. The whole place looked wild and uninhabited. Elizabeth deduced that not many people called on this Harriet woman for visits.
"I can't believe I didn't ask you this before Jack, but who is Harriet? What does she do exactly?" she asked with a yawn.
"She's a fortuneteller," came his reply.
Elizabeth stopped dead in her tracks. The rest of the company came to a halt behind her. Jack continued walking forward and mumbling to himself until he realized no one was following him. He turned around to find out why.
"What?" he asked clearly confused.
Her words came out on a sad, disbelieving sigh. "A fortuneteller, Jack? You've brought me to a fortuneteller?"
He nodded once, the motion a brisk gesture. His mouth hung slightly ajar.
"Have you forgotten that the last fortuneteller you brought us to was, in fact, a goddess intent on destroying all those who had imprisoned her, and who is currently forcing my husband to sail the seas for ten years at a time, with only a day of rest, while he leads the souls of the dead to the next world?" She was out of breath when she finished.
"No, I haven't forgotten," Jack said, still appearing confused. "But Harriet's not like Calypso, I swear. She's just a normal woman who delves in ta the dark arts every once in a while. She's not set on taking over the world. Won't ye give her a chance?"
"Is she the real thing?" she asked.
"The best," replied Jack. He waited for her nod of approval before dancing his way to the front door. Lifting his hand, he knocked three times.
"Go away," a voice spat out into the night.
Jack turned to the group of people behind him and gave a forced smile. "Always been a little difficult," he explained before turning back to the door. "Come now, Harriet darling. Is that any way to treat old friends?"
There was a moment's pause before the woman spoke again. "I know that voice," she said finally. Rustling sounds could be heard coming from the other side of the door. Next, they heard a series of clicks and scrapes as the woman unlocked the door. The wooden barrier opened slowly.
Elizabeth wasn't sure what she had been expecting, but Harriet was something like she pictured a fortuneteller to be. She was dressed in a long green robe that swept the floor. It had seen better days, but it showed signs of care and cleaning. Harriet's skin was dark brown, and her features were old and wizened. She was a plump woman and strands of assorted beads and amulets draped around her neck, sitting on her ample chest. Her long black hair was tinted with gray and was held back from her face with a red sash. Yes, Madame Harriet certainly looked like a fortuneteller, although that didn't mean she was one.
"Jack," she said smiling, "It's been a long time."
"It has," he agreed.
"But…before I ask you what you are doing here, allow me to do something I should have done years ago," she continued, licking her lips. Jack leaned forward, thinking that he was about to receive a kiss; all he got was a slap across the face. Madame Harriet's smile was gone, but she also didn't appear to be angry.
"I assume you deserved that?" Elizabeth asked the grumbling Jack.
"Probably," he answered with a toothy grin.
"Look, Madame Harriet," Gibbs broke in. "We're in need of some answers, and we've come ta you in hopes that ye can give us some. But if we ain't welcome, we'll be on our…"
"Hush, you fool," Harriet interrupted. All the color had drained from her face and she looked as if she were going to be sick. "I'm getting something."
A hush fell over the foursome as they held a collective breath. Madame Harriet held her hands out at her sides, palms up. Her head was titled back, as if staring at the stars. She didn't seem to be breathing and her eyes darted back and forth so fast that she looked like she had become possessed.
"One of you is being hunted. I see a dark figure," she began in a soft but firm voice.
"Tell us something we don't know," muttered Jack. Elizabeth delivered a sharp blow to his ribcage to shut him up. She was on her last nerve.
"One of you shall go to battle shortly. The outcome of this battle cannot be seen," Madame Harriet continued as if uninterrupted.
"Load of help, that is," Gibbs stated. Elizabeth stepped on his foot with the heel of her boot. He grunted in pain and didn't say anything else.
"One of you will die within three days," Harriet finished resuming her normal stance.
No one commented on her last prediction. No one even moved. The deadly prediction hung heavily in the foreboding silence that had surrounded the travelers and the seer. Thomas was the first one to speak.
"Why can't you tell us who will suffer which fate, ma'am?" the child asked innocently.
"For one thing I truly do not know which of you shall befall each fate. And for another, even if I did know I wouldn't tell you. If it is your fate, it will happen, one way or another. There is no avoiding it. Whoever is meant to die, will die, whether it is today or tomorrow. The point is that they will die eventually. My intervention would only delay them from dying for a time, not forever."
"Oh," Thomas said, embarrassed that he had asked at all.
Madame Harriet turned her gaze from Thomas to the adults of the group. "Now, about my payment," she said, holding her hand out expectantly.
"Payment?" Gibbs yelled. "What payment?"
"I provided you with a service, sir. I expect to be paid just like a barber or a blacksmith would."
"But we're old friends…" Jack started.
"Yes, well, our friendship doesn't put food on my table," Harriet retorted.
"But you haven't told us anything!" Gibbs pointed out in protest. "We came here for answers, and we didn't get any. If anything, you gave us more questions!"
"You came here for my help, which is what I gave you. Now, I expect payment!" Madame Harriet said, getting flustered.
"Do you care what kind of payment?" Elizabeth asked, past the point of getting angry over something so trivial. If she had to pay the woman, she would. "We'll give you Jack as an indentured servant. I think five days of hard labor should cover the cost," she joked.
Jack's mouth dropped open, staring at Elizabeth in disbelief. Before he could say anything; however, Madame Harriet let out a soft chuckle, a smile spreading slowly across her face.
"No, my dear. That won't do. I'm afraid I only except one type of payment."
"Coin?" the younger woman ventured to guess, already digging around in her pack.
"No, not coins," Harriet answered.
"No? Then what?" Elizabeth asked warily, suddenly afraid of her answer.
"Souls, my dear. I want one of your souls!" the old seer declared.
Author's Note: So what do you think of those prophecies? I know they are pretty general, but I didn't want to give too much away in the early part of the story. I have to save the good stuff for later. :) I hope you enjoyed it and thanks for reading! I'll post at least one more chapter by the end of the day so I don't leave you wondering what will happen next for a long time.