"That's Tortuga?" I asked excitedly as the island came into full view. Dinner had been made ahead of time and I had already set it out on the table, caring not when the crewmembers ate. I did not make a meal for Smith, explaining to Gibbs that if the vermin wanted to eat, then he may have a piece of bread that was left over. Gibbs had nodded and left me to my work. I wasnt worried that the meal would go cold for the heat was still beating down upon our backs and faces, even as evening approached. I wiped my forehead with the netted sleeve of my black dress, worn slightly, ridding it of the perspiration.
"Aye luv." Jack replied, turning the wheel slightly, "Will you want to go ashore?" I nodded.
"Yes, Cap-Jack, please." I said, catching myself. He had had to correct me three times that day, insisting that I call him Jack... "That would be wonderful!" Jack smiled.
"Jack?" I said, daring to ask, "Do you think that, perhaps, I could learn how to sail?" Jack's brow furrowed. "I mean, for instance, lean how to... secure the... rigging is it?... climbing up to the sails looks like amazing fun. I learn quickly and work hard." The Captain next to me smiled, amused, and adjusted his grip on the wheel.
"I suppose, if you can keep up with yer job in the kitchen, then I could get some of me crewmen to teach you the basics... maybe I won't have to replace Smith if ye really learn quickly." I refrained from jumping with joy; finally I would get out of that kitchen! "But," Jack pulled me from my thoughts, "ye'll have to dress like a sailor and we'll need to pick you up some effects." I frowned... dress like a sailor? Not dresses? I though about Ana Maria's attire and shrugged... it might not be so terrible.
Jack and I stood at the helm in silence for the next half an hour, watching the sea rush by. Smiling at him, feeling awkward in the loss of conversation, I moved to the front of the Black Pearl, my signature spot and watched the dolphins, sitting on the railing and resting my chin in my hands. I looked back at Jack and saw that he was watching me, a tense look on his face, as if worried. I gave him a reassuring smile and wave of the hand and he looked back ahead, not returning it, but glancing back my way every once in a while.
Finally, when Tortuga was close enough to count every tree, I swung my legs back over the side and ran down to my cabin, taking about a fourth of my gold out and slipping it into a smaller coin pouch, I slipped my money into my skirt and exited the cabin to see that we were docked. Jack was waiting by the gangplank with the crew.
"Alright, mates," Jack said, "Be back by tomorrow at noon. We cast off then and I dont want to have to spend too long looking for you." The crew nodded and dispersed down the gangplank and into the city, scattering to various pubs and brothels to satisfy their urges and desires. Jack extended his hand out to me as he reached the bottom of the plank, beckoning me to follow him. I steadily made my way down the walkway stumbling a little. Jack chuckled as I clumsily came to the bottom and stepped onto the deck, sighing. Then, we made our way off the docks and into the small town of Tortuga.
Tortuga... where to start. The little town was filled with whores and drunks, hanging all over each other and laughing, even in the early evening. I wrinkled my nose at the sights around me. To my left lay a man, dumping mugs of rum down his throat while a woman stood above him, her skirt hanging over his face. I stalled and Jack took my arm, leading me and speeding me up to his own pace.
"Stay close luv and keep a sharp eye." He said and I nodded, finding myself with the urge to take out my knife. I followed the Captain to the very North of the town, which wasnt much better. Together, Jack and I walked inside a shoppe. Hanging on the walls were swords of every shape and size, thick ones, thin ones, short and long swords alike. Along the other wall and on the shelves were pistols, knives and boxes of bullets. There was no one at the front.
"Ye'll need a sword..." Jack said quietly and led me over to the wall, one in particular caught my eye and I ran my hand over the blade. The handle matched that of my father's dagger, black ivory, lined with gold. Jack caught me looking at it and looked around quickly before taking it down. "Ye wan' this one?" Jack asked me and I nodded slightly.
"Yes, this one will do." I said and took out my coin purse, extracting two gold pieces. Jack grabbed my arm and shook his head, pushing the sword into his belt before grabbing a black pistol and a couple boxes of bullets. He grabbed a sack off the wall and shoved it all inside before pulling me out the door. I walked next to him, appalled at what I had just witnessed.
"I-I did you just-?" Jack smirked at the look on my face. "That was wrong." I stated and Jack looked at me.
"Pirate." He reminded me and I nodded sardonically, "Besides," he continued, "Whoever owns that shop had it coming. They leave an armory wide open with no supervision in a pirate port." I thought about that and, finding nothing else to satisfy my conscience, finally agreed with him.
Next we entered a clothing store where I picked out two pairs of comfortable fitting black pants, two pairs of brown pants, two white shirts, a black, tight fitting shirt, two crimson ones, a black pair of boots, and a belt. Shoving Jack to the side, I crossed over to the front counter and carefully counted my gold, handing it over to a happy looking store owner. Jack waited by the door, his arms crossed and a hurried look on his face.
Finally, after running a few more errands for the ship's supplies, Jack took me inside a dress shop. I smiled when we entered and Jack watched me walk around and finger each dress, a smile on his face. I smiled broadly at him and finally took out an emerald green dress, paying for it quickly and leaving the shop and back out into the odd little town of Tortuga.
"So luv." Jack said as we sat down at a small table in a pub, filled with drunks and other pirates playing cards or fighting. The scent of perfume, body odor, and rum was enough to intoxicate me. "What do you think of Tortuga?" I thought for a moment.
"I'll definitely never forget it." I replied thoughtfully and with truth. Jack chuckled and nodded to the man who brought over two mugs of an amber colored liquid. Curious, I picked up the mug and peered inside as Jack guzzled down his cup. Smiling, I lazily handed him mine and he frowned.
"Ye're not gonna drink it luv?" he asked. I looked around at the men casting me lustful glances and I thought of Henry... shivering slightly and drawing my cloak around my body. I shook my head, still smiling, somewhat happy... I scolded myself for my good feelings... yet... I felt free for the first time in my life. I let my mind wander back home. With a soft chuckle I wondered what Mr. Olivet was doing back at the opera house; if he had believed what I told him in my note, and if he was going to replace me. Strangely, I didn't care... my life had been revolving around nothing but that opera and now it revolved around adventure and the open sea... I loved to perform... but this felt good too.
Very suddenly and to my surprise, a man came up to us and grinned broadly at me. "How much for your services?" the man asked me and pulled out a shilling holding it in his fingers.
"How much-" I stuttered and my eyes widened as I came to understand. Standing up I slapped the shilling out of his hand and pushed him away from the table, a shocked looking Jack staring at the scene. "I am not for you or anybody else to buy!" I nearly shouted. All eyes in the pub turned to me. "I am only in this town because I need information on a certain thing called Palori! Now, unless you have something to say on that matter, I suggest you leave. And that goes for anyone else in this bar!" The man raised his eyebrows at me furiously and narrowed his eyes.
"No wench talks to me like that!" he grumbled in a drunken slur and grabbed my arm roughly, pulling me away from Jack. I turned my face from his and tried to push him away while Jack pulled out his pistol.
"Let go of her mate." Jack said dangerously and cocked his gun. The pirate smiled and held me in front of him, the barrel of the gun in front of my face. I was terrified, my body chilling. I heard a gunshot and froze in shock. Jack lowered his gun and I realized that the shot had not come from him but from behind me. I stumbled as the man fell into me and Jack rushed forward, throwing the pirate off me. I looked back at the man that had shot the pirate and frowned as he approached us, backing away from the dead body.
His eyes were almond shaped and electric blue. He had one leg and hobbled on the peg that stuck out from the stump. He was large and about Jack's height. He tucked his gun into his belt and came up to the two of us. I stepped back slightly but met him full in the face, not letting any intimidation show.
"Thank you sir." I said not unkindly but not fondly either. The pirate looking man nodded.
"Yer welcome lass." He said and gestured to the table, "Mind if I drink with ye?" he asked and I frowned at him suspiciously.
"What are your intentions?" I asked evenly. He smiled.
"Good lass not to trust me." He chuckled, "Yer lookin' for Palori?" immediately I was interested and motioned for him to be seated, taking another seat beside Jack.
"What do you know of it?" Jack asked him, lowering his gaze.
"I know where it is... and how to get to it." I focused all my attention on the man in front of me intently.
"Oh really... Who are you?" Jack asked.
"Me name's not important... and I'll tell ye 'bout Palori... fer a price." The man looked at me and I shivered.
"It depends on the price, Signore." I told him moving away from him slightly. He chuckled.
"There's a jewel on the island." The man said and I eased up a bit, "I want it. Its about the size of you lass's fist and bright green."
"So if you tell us about Palori you want us to brave all hasten and get this jewel fer you?" Jack asked and the man nodded.
"That'll be it." He said and I nodded.
"We'll do it." I said, ignoring Jack's look. The man grinned a toothy grin.
"Alrigh' then. Palori is a treasure, located in the exact center of the entire Caribbean. The only reason why nobody has ever found it is because a man named Raymond Ricci put a spell, in a manner o' speakin' onto the island with the help of an obei woman to where only a Ricci, blood related, could see it." I looked down and then back up at Jack.
"Raymond Ricci is the grandfather of Christina Ricci." I said, cautiously.
"Tha's right."
"What about the curse on the treasure... I heard something about souls of Palori." I said vaguely, referring to my letter.
"The curse on Palori was that anyone that ventured upon the island without a Ricci would die immediately and their soul would stay to guard the treasure until a true Ricci removed it. Then the souls would be released into the next world." I nodded thoughtfully.
"I dont suppose you have a map or something do you mate?" Jack asked and the man with no name smiled again, showing off his missing and silver teeth.
"Only if you got a way on the island." He said and I sighed.
"I'm Christina Ricci. My father was taken from my home and taken off by pirates." I said.
"I thought so." He smiled and took out a roll of parchment, decorated by symbols and markings. I took it from his hand and looked over it eagerly. This was it... the chance to save my father.
"My grandfather was a pirate, Signore?"
"Aye, one o' the best lass." Smiling slightly I stood, shook the man's hand, and dragged Jack up and away from his rum. Grumbling, Jack reluctantly stood and stood beside me, walking away from the man.
"Oh and if ye want to know what ship yer father is on..." I stopped short and turned around, "It be the Seagull." I didn't ask how he knew... I didn't really care. I just smiled gratefully at him and made my way back out of the pub, Jack leading me, dodging unwanted hands.
Jack and I left the pub and began making our way back to the Black Pearl. I imagined that as soon as I was on board Jack would run off to his brothels and drink and fill his every heart's desire. Somehow it disquieted me... the thought of another woman's hands on Jack by some means made me feel something I had never felt before... was it jealousy? Suddenly something caught my eye.
It was a music shop, filled with instruments of all kinds. Letting in a long gasp, I immediately grabbed Jack's hand, not quite knowing what I was doing, and rushed inside.
Immediately I found what I was looking for as the owner nodded to the two of us. Up on a stand in the back of the shop was a medium sized, dark wood, violin.
Picking up the violin, I smiled and held it to my neck, barely believing that my fingers still knew how to play. I looked around the shop, from the owner who was watching me, to Jack, who was pocketing anything valuable and small enough to fit in pockets.
I slipped the bow gracefully over the strings, my fingers pressing down on the correct cords to make a beautiful sound. My smile broadened as the owner of the store smiled at me and sat back, listening to what I played. Finally the piece was done and I set the violin back down on the stand, smiling again and striding out of the shop.
"Young lady!" the Irish owner called back and I turned around, realizing that I had just walked away without a word to anyone and left Jack in the shop. Blushing in my oblivious state, I walked back into the shop and approached the owner. "Yer not buyin' the violin?" he asked and I shook my head.
"I'm afraid I dont have enough money, sir." I said meekly, Jack coming up behind me. "I just wanted to play it... it's been so long since I last picked one up..." the owner nodded, half smiling, half disappointed at the lack of business. Then, giving him a last nod I left the shop, Jack stepping to the right of me.
"What was that back there, luv?" Jack asked, as we made our way through the night streets of Tortuga back towards the ship.
"I dont know..." I replied, smiling. "I just saw it and I wanted to play." I smiled again as memories ran through my mind and I fell into my thoughts, not paying attention as we climbed up the gangplank and onto the ship. I turned to Jack before going into my cabin.
"Thank you Jack." I said, "I had a wonderful time... and I have a lead to where my father is going!" I held up the map and smiled before walking into my cabin, not waiting for a response from the Captain, leaving him to his brothels and rum all through the night. Lighting a candle I sat at my desk, not tired in the least, and ran my fingers over the map... I was going to find my father.