'In all honesty, perhaps telling her to stay as if she were a dog was a bad plan.' thought Henry as he and Carina led his parents to the place they had left Shansa. They'd been gone less than an hour, she could have waited. Right?
"Are you sure she was here?" asked Elizabeth.
"Without a doubt." answered Carina. "I don't know how, but she knew us and knew we would be here."
"Who is she?" Will asked.
"Shansa." said a voice behind them. The four turned to find Shansa, leaning against the door frame of a shop that hadn't been there before.
The Turners and Carina continued to stare. Shansa gave a small, mysterious smile. "If you want answers, you'll have to be brave and follow me."
Will didn't like the place the moment he crossed the door. It was dark, cramped, and unnatural. An odd sort of haze filled the room. Charms, herbs, and sketches of rituals covered the walls and tables. Candles dripped wax onto the dirty stone floor that rats scurried across. Jars containing...well, he didn't want to know what they contained- hung from the ceiling. The windows were boarded, making the main source of light the large fire with a cauldron boiling over it.
It was too similar to the one of the only other witch he'd had the displeasure of meeting: Tia Dalma. Or Calypso, now. Goddess of the sea, lover of the monster that haunted his sleep.
"You'll have to be brave." The witch had said. How much did she really know?
"Alright, what do you know?" Elizabeth asked, also eager to leave.
"Elizabeth Swann-" Shansa started.
"It's Turner. Has been for twenty three years now"
"Ah, yes, so it is." She crooned. "Such a long time, and you stayed faithful, both of you. Something the former captain couldn't..."
"Do you require payment?" Will asked impatiently. He was tired of dancing around the questions.
"Oh, I do." She said, taking a seat. "But you've already given me one." Shansa held up her wrist, revealing Carina's bracelet.
"I didn't give that to you, you stole it!" Carina barked.
"If you want your answers, young Miss Barbossa, you'll let me keep this for a time." Shansa said calmly.
Carina cooled her temper and sat down. She wanted her father back more than the bracelet.
"One last time." Henry said. "What do you know of Hector Barbossa?"
A rat crawled around Elizabeth's feet and she gave a small scream. It scared the pest and ran, but Shansa picked it up and began stroking it. "Hector Barbossa saved me from execution many years ago, and in return I cursed his enemies."
"Wonderful." spat Carina. " But do you know if..."
"Yes." She merely said.
"Yes, what?" Asked Will.
"You came to me wanting to know if he is alive, and your answer?"
"Yes." Carina whispered. A giant weight seemed to lift off her shoulders. Alive. Her father was...
"Wait, no. That's not good enough." She said, standing. "I need more. I need proof. Where is he?"
"You know it's name, but not it's location. Seen it, but never been." Shansa riddled.
"The Ilsa de Muerta." Will and Carina said together, confusing Elizabeth. Will hadn't had the chance to tell Elizabeth anything before Henry and Carina had come running in. And now was not the time.
"Alright, can you get us there?" Asked Will.
"Not me." Shansa said. She sat up and threw the rat across the room into the boiling pot, startling everyone. Thick smoke grew from it and slithered along the floor towards them.
"You will need captains who know this island. I am sending you to them."
"What?" Elizabeth asked, hand on her sword. The smoke pooled at their feet and quickly spiraled upwards.
"There is a tavern there. Go to it and ask for the owner. And send Hector my regards when you find him." Shansa said as the smoke carried her visitors away.
Author's note: Thanks for reading! Sorry that it's short and not my best work. I promise to update soon; this next chapter is one of my favorites. Thanks to all those who have reviewed, I love hearing what you think of my story!