Chapter 16 Politics

No amount of swashbuckling cinematic adventures or bodice ripping yarns could prepare a person for a sword and knife fight in a Tortuga alley. In the dark and wind the business had a surreal element that obscured, but could not disguise, the basic brutality and nastiness of it. If Elanor had ever doubted what a sword was really for she would never do so again.

No finesse here, no graceful stepping or elegant twirl, there was no room for it, and certainly there was no time or breath to spare for witty words. Just the rasp and gasp of heavy and desperate breathing and the scrape of steel on steel, all interspersed with the duller thud of flesh on flesh as a fist connected with head or forearm. The lack of light ruled out pistols and made it hard to judge how many attackers there were, but it was clear from the start that Jack and Gibbs, she assumed it was Gibbs, were outnumbered. Only the fact that Jack Sparrow was a clever man who fought to live, and was more than passably good with the long carving knife in his hand, and the fact that the attackers apparently did not want him dead, had kept him and his companion alive at all. Whether that state of affairs would have continued if help had not arrived when they did would never be known, but it was clear from the beginning that the attackers desire to preserve Jack did not, necessarily, extend to the rest of them.

As Elanor pulled her sword from its' sheath some part of her mind shrieked its' disbelief at her action and migrated to a point several feet above her head to watch the proceedings from greater safety. She would always remember that fight as an onlooker in the dreams that came later but she could not fight it as one and survive, and by the time the business was over she was breathing hard and her own blade was red and slippery.

The cobbles were already slicked with rain, now blood was added to it, for Mr Gibbs, at least, was bleeding from a slash across the forearm. But judging by his position, half obscured by his captain and defended by Jack's energetic blade, that was a recent occurrence. As Ben weighted in with his cudgel there was a sickening crunch and a fallen body was added to the hazards, at which point Gibbs transferred his knife to his other hand and re-entered the fray with a roar. Ben continued to lay about him as much as the confined space allowed, cudgel in one hand and machete in the other, while Sampson produced a long bladed knife from his belt and relieved Elanor of hers as he passed. Yet even with the three new arrivals the attackers seemed to be greater in number, or maybe it was that others appeared from the shadows, she was never sure.

Still the reduction of the odds, how ever slight, enraged the assailants and the curses flowed freely on the wind. Some other detached part of Elanor's brain noted in passing that most were not in English.

For her own part she was glad of the fencing lessons of her girlhood but more so for Jack's tutoring, and yet more grateful still that he had not played the gentleman in that but had fought her to win even when she was a novice on her own decks. What she lacked in skill, and that was a lot, she made up for in stamina and that most invaluable of commodities, surprise. Her womanhood was clear enough even in the dark and her assailants judged her by that, to their cost. The curse of surprise as an attacker struck at her only to be parried by an arm as strong as his own brought a smile to her face, and gave her the time to thrust forward with a power that drove him quickly back, taking his knife from his hand and wrenching his shoulder. He shouted something to his companions but if they heard they didn't believe it for the sword that engaged her next made the same mistake and suffered the same penalty.

Elanor found her senses sharpening, every sound and flicker of a hand or blade etched into her mind with an intensity she had rarely known before. It was getting hot now, the sweat running down the faces of all those involved, grips became less certain and the wind whipped sweat soaked hair across eyes straining to watch the shadow of steel in the dim light. It was only a minute or so since they joined the fight but it seemed as if hours had passed, long hours when the only thing that mattered were the flickering tongues of steel around her.

She had neither time nor energy to wonder how the others were doing, or even if they were still on their feet, but at some point she realised that Jack had fought his way around the attackers and was now at her back, and for the first time she thought how exposed her inexperience might leave her against a better schooled blade. She cursed silently, determined that she would not allow Jack to risk himself or his friends to defend her impulsive action. Taking hold of herself and her temper she concentrated and tried to calm her racing senses, striving to discipline herself and to read the intentions of the men opposing them rather than rely on her speed of reaction. She still had the advantage of energy and unexpected strength and she used them with greater care now, watching the opposing blades with catlike intensity, blocking their wilder thrusts and only lunging when they were exposed and she was not. This greater calculation served her better than raw adrenaline had, causing uncertainty as well as surprise in the men attacking her.

But just when it seemed they might prevail a shout went up and more shadows appeared at the top of the alley, three more at least and maybe more. She heard Jack curse and recognised the truth of it, they were not going to fight their way out of this.

"Elanor, get towards that wall," he hissed as he thrust towards a grinning face sending it spinning backward then down towards the floor. "We can hold them long enough for you get over it and away."
"No." was all she spared the time to say.
"Do as you are told woman for god's sake. They don't want me dead but they will have no use for you, at least none I'd wish upon you." His sword pushed back another man as he spoke.
"No."
He almost spat at her, cat like in his frustrated rage as he sent a knife clattering to the ground.
"No point to it at all," he hissed 'Tis not your fight. Get out of it, Gibbs and Sampson will follow you and get you away."
She smiled grimly and turned to dodge the knife her opponent had suddenly produced, slashing across his hand as she did so,
"I decide what's my fight Captain Sparrow. I'm not a pirate, I don't follow your code."
"Code be dammed. Makes no sense for you stay," he panted, "anyways who'll get me out if they take you too? They'll not harm me yet, and we can't hold them all luv, take the others and go."

She backed closer towards him feeling the heat of him through the threadbare clothes.
"No. But you're right we can't win, at least not like this."
She parried another knife thrust tipping its owner off balance and closing with him to drive her knee into his groin, the hilt of her sword following it deep into his crotch as he doubled over, the full force of her arm behind it. She didn't even hear the scream as he collapsed for a hand grasped her hair and pulled her head around, the pain setting a red wash of fury over her eyes. Without thought her teeth found the wrist and tore mercilessly into tendon, vein and muscle, the blood washing down her throat as she brought her sword hilt up to contact with the hand's owner's chin.

"Can we get them all in front of us? Let them put us at bay?" she gasped.
Jack must have cast a look around him even as he fought off the next advancing blade,
"Mebbe, would it help?"
"Yes."
She thrust forward at the man approaching, her blade sliding under his, driving it up and him off balance, her knee again doing a job he didn't expect, at least not with such force and ferocity. Jack raised his voice,
"Back against the wall Mr Gibbs, surrender is the only option."
"Jack!" a familiar voice gasped in protest,
"Now Mr Gibbs, no arguing!"
Jack eased himself around to face the new comers, his back to the wall. As Gibbs, Sampson, and finally Ben, joined them he pulled Elanor to his side, his shoulder slightly forward of her, then he lowered his sword and spread his arms with a wide smile and said something in a language Elanor didn't understand.

For a moment it seemed that the men facing them were taken aback, then relieved, then elated, and slowly and warily they were surrounded by dipping swords and grinning faces.
"Look down." Elanor hissed quietly as she edged forward of Jack, her hands dropping to her waist.
The taser cleared her belt without anyone noticing the movement, then there was a brief spat, a sudden bright light, and the surrounding grins convulsed, the wearers falling to the ground, shrieking with the pain. They stayed there, rolling around with their hands clasped to their heads in disorientated agony.
"Bloody hell!" Jack whispered quietly.
Elanor slid the taser back inside her belt and turned to face him with a wry smile as she flipped a hand in brief salute,
"Pleased to be of help Captain Sparrow," she drawled with hidden glee.
He looked back at her for a moment, his smile flickering uncertainly in the dim light, before he turned away to look towards the writhing bodies,
"Help? Bloody hell Captain Cavendish," he said with a wider smile.

Sampson put his hand on Jack's arm, avoiding looking at the woman at his side,
"Time we was gone," he muttered, "might yet be more of 'em."
"Aye" Jack agreed and turned to look anxiously at Gibbs who was propped against the wall and breathing heavily.
"Aye Captain," Gibbs echoed breathlessly, accepting the arm of a shaken looking Ben without comment.
Jack nodded.
"To the cart then, we'll drop Mr Sampson on our way." He shot the innkeeper a wary look, "better to arrange to be elsewhere tonight in case others some looking.' Your lasses cover for you will they?"
"Aye, they know I came after you," was all Sampson said.
Jack smiled and waved his hand towards the cart.

As they moved away he came close to Elanor and pointed a grazed finger at her,
"You and I, we need a word."
"You and I?" she said with a smile.
"Yes" he hissed impatiently, "You and I. Us." He wriggled his fingers in the direction of her belt, "About.. Things." He narrowed his eyes at her, "Interesting.... Things."
Elanor smiled her angel's smile at him.
"Maybe, maybe not. Maybe I don't want to." She saw his frown and inclined her head gracefully. "But if I don't want to talk about it just console yourself with thinking about what these men are going to say to their masters, and what I've just done for your legend. Added a whole new and enthralling chapter I should think. Captain Jack Sparrow and his companion, the warrior angel complete with her flaming sword."
With that she eased passed him and stepped nonchalantly over the stunned bodies on her way the cart.

A pace ort two away she stopped and spoke without turning,
"Oh, and by the way Jack, if I ever get on my high moral horse about the way you live and your attitude to life just say Tortuga to me will you?"
Then she walked on.

Jack watched her go with a growing and appreciative smile.

***

"What was that 'lanor? Those men in the alley, they dead?"
"No they aren't dead."
"Thought not."
He was silent for a moment his face serious and frowning.
"So out with it, what is it?"

They had left Sampson to a card game at another ex-navy man's house and headed out of the town as quickly as the mule and the weather would allow. Gibbs travelled up front with Ben, one of Jack's pistols in his lap, while Jack and Elanor sat on damp straw watching the road and their backs, as far as was possible given the lack of moon and stars. Luck had certainly been with them for though the slash to Gibbs arm was nasty, and Ben had taken a glancing blow to the shoulder and a small nick to his earlobe, they were largely undamaged. At least so she had thought until she realised that Jack was not comfortable at all, and not because of some worry or annoyance. Somewhere he was hurting, and it wasn't doing much for his temper, but he wasn't about to tell her where just yet. For herself she was suffering the unavoidable comedown from the adrenaline high and the early protests of muscle and joint at such unaccustomed exercise, and was not in the mood for his tetchy cross examination.

"Does it matter? Did the job that's all that counts."
He considered that in silence for a while, his frown deepening,
"Something like what your ghost did to me eh?" he said eventually.
"Sort of."
He indicated her belt with an unusually retrained wave of his finger,
"Carry it all the time do you?"
"Yes," she looked at him with wide and serious eyes, "and others like it."
"Ah." He paused and stared back at the road, "Only since you hauled me out of the water or before?"
She sighed wearily,
"Before."
"Oh." He cast her a sideways look, "Why? Before I mean?"
"I told you, my world is not utopia, it has it's own threats."
"Hmmm," he fell silent for a moment, "accounts for a few things I suppose. But what is it?"
Elanor sighed knowing how persistent Jack could be and recognising the signs that this was one of those times. She turned her eyes to the road,
"You ever seen a man struck by lightening?"
He thought about that then nodded, the movement sending a cascade of rain from the brim of his hat to his already soaked breeches.
"Once, long time ago."
"Well you've just seen it again."
"Ah."

He caught hold of her as the cart bumped over a deeper than usual hole in the track that served as a road and she thought she heard him draw a sudden and uncomfortable breath. As if realising that he betrayed something he didn't wish to he took up where he had left off.
"Having lightning tamed and on your belt must come in useful. But can you use it at will?"
"Nearly."
"Hmmm. Your ghost, she can do the same?"
"Something similar," she turned back to face him but kept her voice flat and without expression, "but more damaging. Hers can be lethal should defending the Chaser require it. Ariadne could send a ship of this time down to the seabed with a single well placed bolt. She could sink them before they had time to roll out their guns."

Jack drew a deep and shuddering sigh,
"Bloody hell," he said quietly. "Should have told me luv, see now why you are so wary of being seen or caught. One sight of that and you'd have no peace, every ship on the seas would be givin' chase."
Elanor shrugged,
"Think I don't know that Jack? If I'm forced into a fight then either the Chaser goes down, and me with her, or I have to kill everything and everyone around me. Bear that in mind when planning your adventures will you?"
Jack stared up at the sky in resignation.
"Bugger, " he said eventually, "Seems I need me Pearl back sooner than I thought."

Nothing was said for a long time after that.

***

The Black Pearl had searched for a sign of the strange white ship but not found one. However her crew could not blame their captain for that for it was clear that the fault lay, once again, with his majesty's navy.

The ship appeared on their stern half way towards Tortuga but showed no inclination to engage them. That was not surprising of itself, given that she was both smaller and more lightly armed than the Pearl, but her appearance sent a shiver of apprehension through the crew and a wave of rage through Barbossa for the navy was rarely seen this close to Tortuga. It seemed another sign of the way the world was changing, and it was to the taste of none of them.

Barbossa played it cautious for once, keeping the guns hidden and the colours lowered, for he was still not convinced that Calypso wasn't at the back of the plethora of naval activity there seemed to have been since he had abandoned Jack.
"Be strange the amount of his majesty's ship be about these days, do ye not think lads?" he said to Pintel and Raggetti as they followed him down the decks.
"Not usual 'tis true, not this close to Tortuga," Raggetti replied seriously.
Pintel eyed Barbossa closely, but his captain seemed more like himself than he had seen him for a while, so he kept his tone respectful,
"Aye capt'n. Hadn't used to be so many of them, not this far from the trade route," he said. "What do ye think be bringing them?"

Barbossa rubbed his chin for a moment, in his own mind he was sure it was something to do with Beckett, and probably Sparrow too, though he could not have explained why, but some internal caution warned him it might not be wise to say so. Instead he contented himself with a small world weary smile
"New Gov'nor perhaps, anxious to make a name for hisself. Worlds a'changin' lads. Best get used to it. We won the battle, but the war, well that's still undecided."
With that he raised his glass to his eye, scanning the decks for hostile activity. For the moment there was none, which increased rather than reduced his anxiety, for the world was indeed changing if a navy ship was not willing to try and take the Pearl. Becoming right strange if her captain truly wanted to watch rather than exchange fire.

He looked up at her prow, reading her name and trying to recall if he had come across her before, wondering if any of the ghosts that were drifting around the decks, mingling with his crew, had met their end on the Intrepid. He shook himself and snapped the glass closed, he was getting so used the ghostly presences he would start giving them orders if he wasn't careful. Clasping his hands on his sword hilt he stood at the rail and watched and waited.

***

"Do you plan to board her Sir?" Groves asked Hathaway, his tone as close to disbelief as he thought it wise to risk.
"Why not?" Was Hathaway's easy response. "They have the advantage of speed but we have advantage of numbers." He shot Groves an enquiring look, "if Sparrow isn't on that ship then who is likely to be her Captain? William Turner?"
Groves frowned in concentration,
"Perhaps, but it isn't clear sir. It's known that Turner boarded the Dutchman but unclear when he returned. The Black Pearl did not take part in any rearguard action against the EITC armada, nor did she take on survivors from the Endeavour. That may be why Sparrow lost command, a refusal on his part to take hostages."
"Why would a pirate do that?" Hathaway mused.
"Jack Sparrow is something of a law unto himself sir." Groves frown deepened, "But I would have thought that William Turner would have been of the same mind, though it is true that he betrayed Sparrow and the others to gain command of the Black Pearl before he knew of Sao Fengs treachery."
Hathaway grunted,
"Wouldn't have thought that a blacksmith's apprentice would have had it in him. But then nor would I have thought that Swann would have affianced his daughter to one likely to do it."
Groves gave a small smile,
"Turner had spent some time under the tutelage of Sparrow sir, that might have changed things."
Hathaway grunted again,
"Got some respect for Sparrow haven't you Mr Groves? Why is that?"

Groves stood stiff and uneasy as he replied,
"I've seen him take a ship of the line without letting a drop of blood sir. I've seen him escape captivity by firing himself from the decks with a cannon, disabling the ship in the process sir, again without drawing a weapon. I sailed with Commodore Norrington, the navy's best sir, but Sparrow out sailed him. Yes, I have some respect for Jack Sparrow, just as the Commodore did in the end."
Hathaway nodded,
"Well I've seen the Admiralty briefing on him, and the letters of marque, a strange man it seems. I'd not say you, or the Commodore, were wrong. But if he is not here then that still leaves us with the question of who is captain of that ship. if not Turner."
" The word in port is that Turner is dead." Groves said.

The captain sighed, and rubbed his eyes wearily,
"Like Weatherby Swann and his daughter. I met him once you know, a while ago now, he was a good man and I hear that his daughter was a lovely girl; if a little headstrong in her choice of husband. Beckett must have lost his wits to trust that madman Mercer."
Groves swallowed hard at that, folding back the words that sprang to his lips through gritted teeth, knowing that there was no point in saying them and a lot of danger.
"Indeed sir, " he said as levelly as he could manage. "But there were also stories in Tortuga that the Black Pearl was being captained by Hector Barbossa, and he most certainly is dead. It might be Sao Feng, though Jones maintained that he was dead too."
Groves cursed himself knowing that he should not have mentioned Jones, but Hathaway seemed unconcerned.
"Well pirates are given to changing their names and taking other peoples, all part of this lordship business isn't it? So it might be anyone, we will have to wait and see. Pity that, for I'd like to be better prepared. Still the offer of a pardon and another ship should be enough. Send the signal Mr Groves and let's get this business underway."

"Are we truly offering that sir. To Sparrow I might see why but to this unknown captain? Is that wise?" Groves ventured.
"So it seems Mr Groves, though I understand your concerns. The world is becoming a strange and complicated place it would appear."
"One that requires we trade with pirates sir?"
Hathaway gave a sad half smile that suddenly reminded Groves of James Norrington in those last days before he set off after Sparrow and disaster,
"No Mr Groves, one that requires even the navy to engage in politics, or so our masters tell us."
Then he strode away leaving Groves to wonder yet again just what it was that he didn't know.

***

The navy ship paced them for a while then came closer, just outside of cannon range, and signalled them of their captain's desire for words with the Pearl's captain and with the instruction to heave to, drop anchor and prepare to be boarded. Barbossa considered the fluttering flags for a moment, then turned to Marty with something like his old sly grin,
"Signal that I'm disinclined to acquiesce to their request, then prepare to bring us about."
Marty grinned and did as he was bid.

On the deck of the Intrepid Groves watched through his glass as the replying flags were raised, and somehow he wasn't surprised at the gambit. Nor was he much more surprised when the wind seemed to suddenly change and the Pearl came about, billowing full canvas and abandoning her course for Tortuga and heading for the open sea.

With a strange feeling of inevitability he watched Captain Hathaway shake his head, squint disbelievingly at the skies, and give the order to pursue.

***

In a secluded bay up the coast from the port of Tortuga, the white ship sat serenely at anchor, unseen and undisturbed by the stormy seas that kept all other vessels anchored near the shore, or the winds that drove the occupants of the bay behind closed doors. As the Dawn Chaser waited for her captain to return Ariadne watched the world around them, including the two ships as they manoeuvred. The sudden and unexpected change in wind and the subsequent flight of the Black Pearl were marked for discussion with her captain, another strangeness to add to her growing log of strangeness.

The large vessel anchored on the other side of the island was less easy to watch, given the high ground at the centre of the island, but her presence was noted, and the seas beyond her marked for observation. Ariadne might have to wait to discover who or what this vessel might be, but patience was one of Ariadne's greatest virtues.

***

Polly was not a demonstrative woman and the closest she came to exclamation about the battered nature of the little party was a scolding comment to Ben about a tear in his coat and a shake of her head at the sight of the gash on Gibbs arm and the fading bruises on his face. She came and inspected Elanor too, but seemed content enough with what she saw. Jack she stared at with narrow eyes and frowned, but accepted it with a sigh when he brushed her concern away and announced his intention to check on the Chaser's presence in the bay.

Elanor knew from the look he cast in her direction that he expected her to follow him.

Satisfied that the ship was where Elanor had told him it would be he meandered his way back from the cliff top and slipped into the still room without a word, with Elanor close behind him. Once in he settled down on a barrel and helped himself to a bottle of liquor.
"We need to be underway as soon as we can," he said as soon as the first gulp of whatever it was in the bottle had been swallowed. "Only safe place is at sea."
Elanor reached across and removed the bottle from his hand and took a swallow, gasping slightly as the raw spirit burned its way down her throat,
"You drink this by choice!" she demanded hoarsely.
"Not usually," Jack replied as he took the bottle back, "but it's all that seems to be to hand at the moment." He raised the bottle towards her, "here's to you and your little lightening bolts." He took another swig but grimaced as he swallowed it. "Seems you make a habit of savin' the day."
"Not really. Could have got you all killed. I'm no swordsman, I should have kept out of the way. Don't know what got into me."
Jack took another drink then passed her the bottle again,
"You did well enough. Not much call for skill in a fight like that, just sheer determination and evil." He grinned at her, "seemed to me that you didn't do bad at that."
Elanor huffed at the look but took another swig from the bottle before she passed it back.

"Who were they Jack and what were they after? Don't tell me you were careless enough to flash the treasure around?" She gave him a long considering look, "I'd say that Mr Gibbs has been in more than one fight since I last saw him, was he the careless one, after all the warnings?"
Jack shook his head, his hair still dripping water into his coat.
"No. Pilfering was not what they had in mind."
"You said they didn't want to kill you, but they seemed pretty murderous to me."
Jack thought about that for a moment,
"Well they wouldn't have minded cutting me a little, but basically they wanted me in one piece and able, if not willing, to talk."
"Talk? About what? Who were they?"
Jack gave a rueful smile,
"His majesty's navy."
"I thought you said that Tortuga was a free port?"
"Was and is." He pointed an emphatic finger, "That's why they didn't sail their fine vessel into the docks and send armed soldiers out to look for me. Why they had to do it on the sly and catch me in a back alley." He took another swig from the bottle, "Don't know who told them where to find me though. Must have been one of Sampson's customers." He grinned, "No doubt he'll find out which one."
Elanor suppressed a shudder, she would not wish to be in that persons place when he did,
"Maybe they just kept a watch on the place and followed you when you left," she said.
"Mebbe. But 'tis over and done. Soon as this swell eases we'll head out to your fine lady and be on our way."

Elanor took the bottle from him and shook her head,
"We go nowhere until you tell me who they were and what they wanted. If it wasn't the treasure what was it? The chart? Do they know about that?"
Jack stared blankly at the door for a moment,
"Bugger!" he swore eventually. "No, they can't do! Though.." He shook himself, "No they can't know, it can't be that." He reached for the bottle again and took a hurried swallow.
"Then what is it, why were they after you and why did they want you alive?" Elanor persisted.

Jack looked at her under his lashes his brow contracted and his mouth twisting in indecision, finally he sighed wearily,
"Politics. It's about politics."
"Politics?" Elanor echoed disbelievingly, "a back alley fight and it was about politics?"
"Aye. Politics."
"How? Why?"
Jack shifted uneasily and looked towards the door as if afraid of being overheard, he edged closer and leaned forward,
"Well. You see it's like this. There is this ...thing. Certain people would like to know where this... thing is, and some of these certain people. well.. they think that I know where this... thing is to be found. They would like for me to tell them So... they would like to catch me and persuade me to tell them." He finished with a rush.
Elanor stared at him for a moment,
"A thing?" she said eventually, "What thing?"
Jack frowned,
"Just a ...thing."

Elanor thought about that for a moment,
"The certain people you mentioned being the navy?"
"Oh,... yes. The Navy."
"So it was navy men in that alley?"
"Hmmm.. yes."
"But that wasn't English they were cursing in."
"Ah. Well spotted, no it wasn't."
"So...?"
"I said his majesty's navy, didn't say which majesty."
"No you didn't did you, I should have noticed that. So who were they?"
"Them? Spanish."
"So the Spanish navy want you to tell them where this thing is?"
"Seems so."
"Not the British navy?"
Jack looked morose,
"Well, probably them too."
Elanor sat back and stared at him,
"So its not just politics, its international politics! Oh wonderful! Let me guess, the British navy not only want this thing they don't want the Spanish to have it and visa versa."
Jack took a deeper swig and nodded sorrowfully,
"Seems like to be the case." He cast her a sideways glance, "If the French or Portuguese have found out about it then they will want to have it too. Or to prevent any one of the others having it."

Elanor took the bottle from him again and drank deeply,
"And here was I thinking that finding the fountain of youth just might present some problems. Now it seems that if we go after it we'll have the half the navies of Europe on our tails at the same time!"
"When we go for it luv, not if, we had an accord." Jack flipped a careless hand and tried to disguise the wince the movement brought. " Anyways we're safer at sea, your ghost can keep an eye on them all and make sure we dodge them."
"Really!"
Elanor sighed at the hurt look that earned her.
"Alright Jack, I'll keep to our accord on one condition, that you tell me what this..... thing is."
Jack stared at her for a moment then shrugged,
"I told you already, you just didn't believe me. Why would you believe me now?"
"An ambush in an alley seems a good reason to me."
He gave a short soft laugh at that,
"Ah. Well I'll tell you then. What it is but not where it is. That'd not be safe."
Elanor rolled her eyes at that,
"What is around you? Alright just tell me what it is that's at the heart of all this politics."

Jack shot her a suprised look then he got up and opened the door, looking out into the dark rain swept night to be sure they were alone and unheard. With a sigh he came back and settled himself down again and took another swig from the bottle,
"Not sure, could be wrong. Didn't think they'd find out, or work it out, but it seems they have. That or someone has been talkin' and someone else has been believin' '"
He caught her angry look and shrugged,
"Control of the seas Elanor. That's what it's about. Control of the seas, and the whereabouts of the heart of Davy Jones."