I apologize for taking so long to update. Enjoy this chapter D Well Regents Week is coming up soon and I'll have 10 days to write a few chapters D So updates should be a little quicker now.
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Tortugan Beginnings
Napoleon Basset
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The trip wasn't a very long one nor was it a terribly difficult one. But Angelina Lewis felt herself scared out of her wits all the same. They were mere hours off the coast of Florida and she felt its imminent danger nearing. She did, in fact, know the reason why her very bones rattled under her porcelain skin. They rattled because of a single reason- a man, a man that frightened her more then perhaps death itself. Actually, once upon a time not too long ago from the present moment, she would have wished for death rather than see his face again.
Nothing had changed. Angelina's very lungs stopped when she even thought about his rugged face with the wiry black beard and his bitter blue eyes. Her bones rattled and her blood ran cold even thinking about the horrors he brought upon her. So, she wasn't very confident with going after the pirate captain and if they were ever to meet up the crew of the Abaddon, she didn't think she would be able to cope.
It was one of the rare times that she stood upon the deck of the Pearl by herself. Normally, she wouldn't have dared. But times had changed, she was beginning to trust the pirates only a little. For some reason, she knew that if Lucas Hart was nearby, no one would dare to inflict pain on her. For that she was internally grateful, for the obvious reason. But more then ever did she wish for Lucas to be at her side, smoothing her blond hair and crooning promises that everything was going to be all right.
Angelina wasn't sure if things were going to be all right. She was so utterly frightened that even the mention of his name would make her face going stark white with fear. She heard a heavy breathing behind her and the stench of stale rum. Her heart sped up in her chest and she pivoted towards the source which was Jack Sparrow himself.
This, in itself, was quite odd. Angelina respected Jack but they hadn't spoken too much and never had they spent any time alone with each other. Jack, on the other hand, saw Angelina as a girl. He was so curious about her as well but he hadn't really satisfied his curiosity up until now. She was a moderately attractive girl, he thought, but she was too soft spoken for him. She had a spirit, that Jack knew, but her spirit was more timid and mouse like then he would have liked. No, she wasn't Audrina. She was the type of spirit he liked. But still, Jack had this insatiable curiosity once about the twin Harts but now about the little blond girl they called Angel.
Angelina blinked slowly, slightly surprised. She wasn't afraid, necessarily, Jack was a pirate but she trusted this pirate. He was different. She saw him as a hero but nothing more. She tilted her head slightly to show her utter bemusement. He didn't say anything but only gazed at her in that smugness so many people seemed to hate. It didn't bother her really; she didn't really know what to say either.
Angelina didn't notice the apples lazily held in his dirty hands at first. She was close enough to him that she could smell his breath and the stench of rum. She was also close enough that when he bit the apple in his right, she saw the juices drip down his chin into his double braided beard. With a grin, he threw her the one in his left and she caught it swiftly mostly from reflex.
"Thank you." She only really said for no other words came to mind.
Jack grinned smugly back at her. "Yer very welcome," with another bite, he continued, "do ya think ya will be able to face him?"
Angelina was shook by his question. "I don't know." She replied hesitantly while averting her eyes back out to the open ocean.
Jack nodded then another question came to his mind. "Why didn't he ever sell you into the slavery? I've know of Marcus Addison fer near ten to fifteen years and I never heard him keepin' a lass fer himself."
"How would I know?" She said softly. "He never spoke to me as a person, only as an object. He never shared his thoughts about anything to anyone. How would I know?"
Jack frowned; he didn't know quite what to say to that. At first he was surprised that the bastard kept someone for himself but now he was just very curious. But curiosity was for later. Rescuing Audrina was now. "This is very important to get our lass back, so answer it truthfully. Did he ever keep any other girls besides yerself?"
"No."
"And he did kidnap others?"
"Y-yes." She stuttered.
Jack nodded. "When the other girls came aboard, did you know where he would take them?"
"Somewhere in Florida. Then he would sell them into slavery."
Angelina wanted to lie and that in itself made her feel such intense feelings of guilt that it almost overwhelmed her. She wanted to say the exact opposite direction to where she knew Marcus Addison for a fact was headed towards. She wanted to scream and protest not to go near him. She wanted to plead and beg for Jack to turn right now. But she said nothing. She couldn't. How could she betray Audrina like Carina Lewis betrayed her? How could she just surrender Audrina's life and honor like that? She couldn't. But oh how she wanted to.
She was worse than Marcus Addison himself.
He nodded once more but Angelina couldn't help but notice the changed glint in his eye. It was no longer smug but more glittering with revulsion and rage. "That's interesting. Very interesting."
Jack turned to leave but Angelina's quiet voice beckoned him to stay. With his back turned to her, she said, "Do you think we will get her back?"
"Yes." And he left.
But this time, Jack was not lying. He was absolutely sure that he would be able to get Audrina Hart back.
In a few hours, they would make port in Florida and the chase would be on. Jack briefly wondered how he was going to kill the bastards.
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It would be a lie to say that Audrina hated everything about her father's ship. No, that wasn't true. It would be true to say that she hated most everything about her father's ship except a single man that was called Napoleon Basset. He was the ship's doctor and he comforted both Audrina Hart and Angelina Lewis on both their stays upon the ship.
He was an angel among demons and Audrina could scarcely believe that he even served upon the Abaddon. He was a bear of a man with red pinched cheeks and small brown eyes that glittered with such cheer that it was foreign upon her father's ship.
She found it odd that Angelina had not spared a word about the man. But she was sure that Napoleon knew her quite well, almost fatherly in fact. It would be true to say that Angelina did not speak much but Audrina would have thought he would have come up once or twice.
Maybe she was afraid. God knew how afraid Angelina always was. Maybe, Audrina reckoned, that Angelina thought that if she spoke of him that when she returned he wouldn't be there. Audrina saw reason in this and little by little, she was becoming to understand Angelina Lewis.
It was on one of the mornings that Marcus Addison had allowed her to leave the confines of the cabin and roam the ship that she had met Napoleon Basset. Nothing struck her immediately about him when she did first meet him. He was neither handsome nor incredibly fowl looking. He had neither that glorious glint of malice or cheer in his eyes to suggest anything about his nature. In fact, he looked fairly dull eyed and rather average. Somewhat tall and stocky, he first intimidated Audrina. In her flimsy clothing, she felt her blood run cold.
But then, after gazing at the man for a little she realized something. There was hatred in his expression. But not targeted at her either. It was hatred targeted at everything around her and him. And when he looked at her, he seemed to melt and transform into this jovial bear of a man with suddenly exuberantly cheerful eyes and a toothy grin. There was sympathy in his expression and kindness and perhaps even love. But that was only when his eyes set upon the black haired girl. It couldn't have been mistaken for lust either. There was something pure about Napoleon Basset that suggested he saw her as a helpless little girl rather than a play thing to admire.
And after a few moments when Audrina first set her eyes on him on the side of the ship when he stopped looking so intimidating, she immediately liked him.
Napoleon was merely standing there with his hands over the railing, basking in the splendor that was the Caribbean. It was near noon at the moment and the sun was hot above the wooden ship. Rivulets of sweat both cascaded down both their faces but he seemed so optimistic and jovial. For moments, she seemed to forget the pain and the sorrow and the heat and just bask in his exuberant happiness.
It was refreshing.
"Didn't ya mother ever teach ya not ta stare, lassy?" He said suddenly in a booming voice that was neither sarcastic, smug nor even sardonic. It was not meant in an unpleasant way or to insult Audrina. Napoleon was only 'pulling her leg.'
Audrina laughed to herself and was by his side quickly, watching the side of the ship cut through the waves. "Never really had a mother."
Napoleon finally turned to her and not towards the ocean. "Ah, lassy, our Mother's are always wit' us, even in death."
Audrina was surprised once more. "Why do you assume my Mother is dead?"
"Somethin' about ya doesn't quite seem like the 'abandoned' lass," He responded to her and with a slump of his great shoulders, he added, "and I mighta heard somewhere that Commodore Hart's missus might have died a while back. My condolences."
"Commodore Hart is not my father!" Audrina replied almost immediately and as she did, she realized that her real father wasn't much worse then her step father. She didn't want to admit that she had relations to either of them.
Napoleon put his hands up in mock defeat. "I never said that, darlin'. And rumor goin' around is sayin' that ye be the Cap'n's daughta."
She scowled at him and jutted out her chin in utter defiance. "Blood means nothing." She spat with such malevolence that Napoleon was slightly surprised. His expression showed his surprise clearly, with lifted eyebrows and a slightly parted mouth.
For a moment, Napoleon almost wondered why she would deny her own father like that? Until he remembered exactly who Marcus Addison was.
"So it's true, lassy?" He said quietly, feeling such sympathy for her. Then optimistically, he added, "Well at least he would 'ave more honor than ter touch his own daughta."
"You would think so." She spat again while her eyes watered up once more. With the back of her hand, she wiped it away quickly and stared at him in that insolent way that made Napoleon admire her almost at once.
"Oh honey."
He gathered her in his strong arms and held her tightly. She did not try to move away from his embrace. She only basked in the warmness of his body. As his arms relaxed around her and she slithered from his grip, he placed a small kiss on the top of her forehead as many fathers would do.
"Don't worry; the son of a bitch is going to die." Audrina pledged. "Father or not."
"Ya seem sure of that, missy."
"Why wouldn't I be? I have no reason to feel any compassion for him. I have no love, no care nor any type of feelings for him besides ones of loathing and absolute hatred. I will not feel an ounce of guilt when I see the life drained from his eyes."
The passion in her voice never even wavered nor did any tears slide down her bronze tinted cheeks. It didn't exactly catch Napoleon Basset off guard either. He'd seen many of them, the victims. But very few were never so outspoken or passionate. They were usually like Angelina Lewis, soft spoken, dull eyed, and awkwardly timid. But still, Audrina Hart did not surprise him. That rebellious glint in her eyes gave her all away. It actually reminded him somewhat of Marcus Addison. It bothered him especially when Audrina definitely did not acquire his most unpleasant traits.
"Honey, ye seemed determined and I do admire such determination in ya. But the man is yer father? Do yer not feel nothing? Not even the slightest bit of forgiveness?" Napoleon said softly.
Audrina shook her head at him wildly. "No. He was only the man that gave me life. Being a father requires love and devils do not feel love."
"Maybe he is only a devil because he has only lived in hell? I am not excusin' him fer his deeds but yer must have some sympathy fer the man? Takin' a life is a very horrible thin' indeed, honey." He tried to reason further, his small brown eyes filled with concern. Her hand merely grazed the railing of the ship and out of compassion; he placed it on her own. She didn't withdraw from his touch.
Audrina was very still for a few moments. She was unmoving; her facial expression didn't even change. Her hair was blowing with the wind and her eyes lowered to the water. It made her look like something out of a story book where the young heroine has to make a disastrous choice.
Finally, she turned to him. "I have seen death and brought death upon others. It's become easy for me. It's become almost intoxicating. That is, when killing another saves your own skin. I've lived in hell. I've seen, witnessed and experienced monstrosities that not even you would imagine. I am not like him so I have absolutely no sympathy for him. Marcus Addison deserves pain."
Napoleon slumped his shoulders in defeat and reluctantly nodded. "Godspeed, darlin'."
"I never did catch your name."
He gave that same toothy grin that she saw early. It was infectious and caused a large grin to erupt upon her face. "Napoleon Basset, at ye service, lassy. Yer must be Audrina Hart. Or Audrina Addison, which do yer go by, darlin'?"
"Hart. Audrina Hart."
"Pleased ta meet ya, Miss Hart. I better get back ter mendin' the sails, aye darlin'?"
"Aye." She smiled and watched as he walked away from her.
She turned back to the orange pink horizon in the distance and couldn't help choke back the tears that were forming. She held them back with every fiber of her being. Audrina could only wait for Jack, she could only wait and hope that the Pearl was coming for her. And that was all she could do. Then, Audrina would kill them.
That she vowed to herself.
There were two men in the world she wanted to murder. The first being Commodore Hart but the second and more priority was Marcus Addison. Audrina Hart certainly did have bad luck with fathers.
