A/N I'm sorry I haven't updated for so long, please accept my apologies and enjoy the chapter!

Chapter Sixteen

For a while Annamaria was at a loss. She was stuck in this town of no morals, with no connections and no friends. She could not return home because they believed her to be a thief, and she would be hung. She stood on the cobbled streets, unsure what to do next. It seemed there was nothing left, she couldn't live on the streets, if the elements didn't take her, the pirates certainly would. And she had no money to rent a room, Jack had scampered, taking the jewels with him. She kicked the wall angrily, pretending to herself that it was really Jack's head. It hurt her foot, and she held back a screech of pain.

"Alright love?"

She turned round to see a sinister figure looming over her. He had no teeth left in his mouth, and his eyes were yellow. His clothes hung off him, and she could see he was barely alive. She screamed, and ran past him, almost knocking him over. She'd been long enough in Tortuga to know not to linger.

She breathed a sigh of relief, and closed her eyes to stop the tears from rolling down her cheeks. It was at that point when she remembered the note Jack had left her. She pulled it out of her pocket with contempt, and unscrewed it, smoothing out the creases.

'I'll be back, savvy? 'Til then, try the Harrowing Star, I think you might find what you looking for is there! Jack (King of the Sea)'

Even in her predicament, big as it was, she couldn't help but smile. Jack, King of the Sea? Yes, she could certainly see that. He had such an aura about him; he could be anything he wanted to be. She screwed up the note angrily, how dare he leave her? 'I'll be back' well she doubted that, he had nothing to come back for. It wasn't as though he cared very much about Annamaria, or Charlotte.

'The Harrowing Star', she'd never heard of it before, and what was she looking for? A bed for the night? Food? Shelter? As if they were going to give her that for free! But it was worth a try, and for the second time in her life she was willing to put her life in Jack's hands and trust him.

She wiped her eyes, and set off looking for the pub. Of course, after being there for three months one would expect Annamaria to have developed her bearings, and have a good idea where the Harrowing Star was. Unfortunately half the pubs in Tortuga didn't have a name, and she knew little of the place she was now living. She ventured only small distances on her own, and was at the moment in uncharted territory, as they say.

She watched the shady characters rushing past her, and considered stopping them and asking for directions. But half looked out of their heads either with alcohol, and the rest looked deadly sinister. She was certain one was a slave trader. So she continued wondering the streets, rather aimlessly, even though she was searching for the pub. She knew she had to find it before night time, because that's when it really got rough.

Evening was beginning to settle, the sky was turning a dusky shade of blue, and a few stars had started to prickle the sky. It wasn't cold but she pulled her loose shirt tighter around her shivering shoulders. It was not uncommon to see young children wondering these lawless streets after dark, so no one questioned the thirteen year old as she stumbled along the busy cobbles.

She'd just about given up all hope, and collapsed against the wall of the nearest grimy building. She sat huddled in thought on the ground. "I'm going to die," she whispered, softly to herself. "I'm going to see Harriet and my father, whoever he is."

Her mind was racing back to that day, over three months ago, when the reverend had blurted out his secret. She had been so close to knowing all when Jack and Charlotte had interrupted them. Ever since then Jack's presence had been leading her in further trouble. First she was accused of stealing from the church, and now she had been thrown out on the streets of Tortuga and left to die.

Her grubby fingers and dirt encrusted nails traced the cracks in the wall as she sat. Night had finally taken over, but the full moon provided ample light. The passing people took little or no interest in the solitary girl, hunched alone against the old inn. The common idea was that her mum had gone hookin' and she waiting outside.

Eventually, Annamaria forced herself up. Harriet may have killed herself, but she certainly wasn't going to. She began her fruitless search once again and this time it was rewarded.

She had just turned from a dark alleyway and into a narrow street. At one end was about five stables, three were occupied with braying horses. The other doors were wide open, and Annamaria wondered whether they had not all been occupied at one point and two of the horses had escaped. Her eyes surveyed the area and fell on a creaking sign outside a small white washed building. 'The Harrowing Star' had been painted in scrawling letters above a yellow five pointed star. She could hear loud chatter coming from inside and the clanking of tankard on wood. She took one step towards the door and stopped. Now she was here what was she going to do? Just simply walk in and expect to find the answer to all her troubles? Perhaps Jack had sent her on a wild goose chase after all. I really should have thought about this first, she thought, as her hand rested on the door.

She jumped back in surprise as it was pushed open.

Standing in the doorway was a large, bristling woman. She was wearing a red dress that flowed awkwardly over her bulging stomach. In her right hand she held a worn, tricorn hat, and in the other, by the scruff of the neck, she held a weedy drunk-looking man.

"And stay out!" she screeched, throwing him down on to the cobbles. She threw down the hat, which landed at his feet. He snatched it up and brandished at her.

"I'll have you one day, Molly!" He snarled.

She just laughed, as he clambered up and scampered away. Her cold eyes then rested on the young girl in front of you.

"Adults only," She barked.

"Please!" Annamaria said, as the woman turned to go back in to the tavern. "Jack Sparrow sent me."

The woman's eyes were completely blank. "Never heard of him!" She told her. "Now kindly leave. I can't have children cluttering up my doorway."

"But…but…this is the Harrowing Star, isn't it?"
"It is indeed child, but you won't find what you're looking for here."

"But Jack said I would." Annamaria cried, angrily.

The woman sneered, just as she had done at the weedy man.

"My name is Annamaria." The girl tried again. But she got no response. The woman stepped back into the tavern and closed the door, cutting out the light and muffling the sound. She hit the door, but only resulted in hurting her fist.

"I hate you Jack Sparrow!" She screamed. "I hate you, I hate you!"

She pulled out the note from her pocket, and read it once more, her olive eyes darting over the scrawled, half hearted words. She screwed it up in her fist and threw it as hard as she could towards the stables. "I hate you!"

She stared up at the sky, that beautiful star prickled sky. Harriet was up there somewhere, but she shouldn't be. She should have been down on earth, where her daughter needed her. Helping Annamaria when she was in desperate trouble. Instead she had gone, killed herself and left her only child under the tyrannical rule of Tobias.

"You promised me!" The girl screeched, getting angrier. "I hate you, Harriet Darlington!"

As the words left her lips, the sound from the pub decreased and the door once again snapped open.

She screwed her eyes up against the light and stared up at the figure.

"Did you say Harriet Darlington?"

A/N How was it? I'll be updating soon, so watch this space...