Stronger Than Glass

Sequel to Cold as Glass

End of the Glass Trilogy

A Captain's Adventure

Chapter 4

We filed in one by one. First my father, being the main face who launched our search. Then Elizabeth, the picture for a good girl turned pirate. Then followed me, the ideal picture of a second generation pirate, who was already well known and worth as much as her father, when it came to rewards. And at the end was Sirius. Another ideal picture of a second generation pirate.

Yes, Sirius, my father, and I shared the same reward price (second to Jack Sparrow), but Sirius by far had a reputation based more on lie than anyone of us upon my crew or my father's.

Elizabeth nervously wrapped her arms tighter around her thin body, while I enjoyed the feeling of the warm humid air cleansing my skin and was not bothered by the fact men and women alike were starring at us in curiosity.

Elizabeth's head jerked in a direction, as she looked over at a bath, where several barnacle covered men sat, with a woman behind them beating a leafy plant against the side of the tub, as if to release an aroma.

Then Hung stepped aside, and a huge bulky man stepped in, with huge tattoos covering his back.

Then he stepped aside, and showed a heavily misted dome room, where I could barely make out two women, dressed in dark colored kimonos. Yet they had their backs to us.

The women stepped away, revealing that they were identical twins, while the mist lifted up through the small hole at the top of the dome room.

But behind those twins was Sao Feng, with his arms spread apart, starring up at the hole in the ceiling revealing the outside world's light.

Elizabeth scuttled up to my father's side, then I went to her side, and Sirius stood at the end, remaining the farthest away from my father.

Sao Feng turned around, giving us each superior glances.

Instantly I went down into a, graceful, bow of respect, followed my father and Sirius.

But Elizabeth just glanced at us, as if we were insane, and didn't move.

But with my extended arm, I motioned for her to bow, and she did, in a weak and disrespectful manor.

"Captain Barbossa, welcome to Singapore." Sao Feng commented, instantly allowing my father and Elizabeth to stand up.

Yet Sirius and I, being of another crew did not move from our respectful bows. We remained low and waiting for Sao Feng to accept us.

This was just basic curtsey amongst our community, when address Pirate Lords, especially one so powerful as Sao Feng, who is a second generation Pirate Lord (his father was the previous Pirate Lord of the South China Sea).

"If there isn't more of a star-crossed love story than yours, Sirius Sparrow and Captain Beaux, I haven't heard of one."

I stood up straight, with Sirius, while we watched Sao Feng pat his face dry with a red scarf.

"More steam." Sao commanded a twin, who nodded, and pulled upon a rock hanging from a rope next to her.

With that more steam began to slowly appear from the grates in the floor below us.

"I understand," Sao began walking forward towards us," that you have a request to make of me."

"More of a proposal to put to ye." My father responded, being the spokesperson. "I've a venture underway and I find myself in need of a ship and a crew."

Sao scratched the back of his head, with his long and dark fingernails," Hmm. It's an odd coincidence."

But I had a bad feeling things were no longer starting to go our way. Something just wasn't right.

"Because you happen to have a ship and a crew you don't need?" Elizabeth spoke up, making me cringe.

Never ever ever ever ever, do you speak out of turn (especially when you have not been acknowledged of)!

My father glanced over his shoulder towards Elizabeth, to send her a glare, but Sao surprisingly answered," No."

Then he lowered his head, as he stepped backwards," Because earlier this day, not far from here, a thief broke into my most revered uncle's temple, and tried to make off with these."

Sao held out his hand, while an old frail man wobbled to his side, holding a roll of what looked like a bamboo parchment.

Sao took them from the old man, and glanced back at us," The navigational charts."

Damn it! Will had not succeeded in his job, and now Sao Feng was beginning to put the pieces together.

I kept a straight face, while Sao Feng glanced at me and Sirius," The route to the Farthest Gate."

Sao then threw the old map towards Hung, who caught it, and he walked right up in front of my father, slowly moving over towards me," Wouldn't it be amazing if this venture of yours took you to the world beyond this one?"

"It would strain credulity at that." My father spoke, with a sly smile not admitting or denying anything. Making Sao Feng approach him again.

Sao then took another two steps back and away from us, before glancing over to the area which held a huge empty tub.

Sao nodded, and before I could process what was happening, out of the water, came Will strapped to a pole.

Will was gasping with all of his might, trying to catch his breath, while two men held him up.

Elizabeth wore a shocked expression, while my father, Sirius, and I already remained blank and emotionless, showing no emotional connection to Will.

"This is the thief." Sao walked over to Will and wagged his finger disapprovingly at Will," Is his face familiar to you?"

But praise to God, Elizabeth followed my shake of the head, as did Sirius and Hector.

Sao then took out a spike from his belt, grabbed the back of Will's head with his other hand," Then I guess he has no further need for it."

Sao then lunged towards Will, but Elizabeth gasped," No, no!"

Instantly our cover was blown, by her inability to keep her mouth shut and follow orders.

Sao sent Elizabeth a smirk, making Sirius and I rock back onto our feels in a bored, yet guilty, manner.

Sao took his spike and put it back into his belt, and approached us. Now accusing," You come into my city, and you betray my hospitality."

"I assure you, I had no idea-"

"That he would get caught!" Sao caught off my father, instantly making his crew close in on us.

But yet still Sirius and I remained like statues. Undeterred by this sudden attempt to scare us into submission.

"You intend to attempt the voyage to Davy Jones' Locker." Sao grunted, walking away from us.

Elizabeth began to walk after Sao, but I roughly put up my arm, blocking her, making her glare at me. But I just shot her a glare back, keeping my arm up.

We could not risk any more with that mouth of hers.

"But I cannot help but wonder," then Sao Feng returned to his dome, and turned around towards us," Why?"

With that, Sirius and my father, flung two silver pieces at Sao, who caught them both without hesitation and his red cloth dramatically flying about in the air, as his hands moved about to catch the pieces.

Sao then held both pieces up to his ears, carefully holding them between his overgrown fingernails.

Just like before, when I had found Sirius's piece this very morning, I could hear it's beautiful song of tragedy floating into my ears.

Thinking of this thought, made me want to turn and ask Sirius where he had managed to get this piece of silver, for as far as I knew Jack never gave him anything.

But I bit my tongue, and refused to take action upon my questions. And now took the initiative to bribe Sao Feng to join our crusade.

"The song has been sung." I spoke up, taking a daring step forward, while my husband glanced around for any attacker. "The time is upon us."

"We must convene the Brethren Court." Sirius came to my side, causing Sao Feng to look at us, with a must expectant face. As if he knew the only reasonable ones here were Sirius and myself. "As one of the nine Pirate Lords, you must honor the call."

Sao Feng closed his hands are the two silver pieces, glancing closer at me. "And who shall represent the Caspian Sea? The child or the father?"

"My father," I answered with an emotionless, but serious tone. "Due to his present health, I have given him back his title, which was rightfully his."

Sao did not look pleased by this answer, and spouted," More steam!"

But the steam did not come as it had done before.

Sao then grew even angrier and shouted to the twin closets to the lever," More steam!"

She pulled upon the rock again, obviously looking slightly shaken.

Then the steam came, calming down Sao Feng instantly.

He took in a deep humid, breath, and began," There is a price on all our heads-""Aye," My father nodded in agreement. "It is true," Sao continued though," it seems the only way a pirate can turn a profit anymore, is by betraying other pirates."

I sent Sirius a glance from the corner of my eye, instantly Sirius and I closed our ranks, and stood side by side.

I sent Will a quick glance to check upon him, to make sure Elizabeth wasn't going to make things worse. But Elizabeth was too busy gawking at my father and Sao, to even notice the fact her fiancé was now breathing normally and looked to be in good health.

"Then we must put our differences aside," my father began, glancing at me for help, like he did every time before this.

"The First Brethren Court gave your father, and other men and women rule of the seas." I began, trying to sound logical, completely nonobjective, outside third party, with absolutely no personal interest in the matter. "But now that rule is being challenged by Lord Cutler Beckett of the East India Trading Company."

Yet I heard Elizabeth spit in disgust, as I paused to take a breath and let my words soak into Sao Feng's mind.

But Sao turned towards me, and began," Against East India Trading Company, what value is the Brethren Court? What can any of us do?"

I opened my mouth to give him an answer that would force him to join our aid, but Elizabeth had to ruin things. Once again!

"You can fight!" Elizabeth lunged towards Sao, making one of his bodyguards grab her. "Get off me!"

I couldn't help but groan and roll my eyes in distaste, while Sirius wore an unimpressed look.

And once again I took advantage of my way with words and my rumored abilities. So I cleared my throat, took another brave step towards Sao Feng, who was one more step away from my person.

Sirius stayed back, while my father sent me a curious look, as I began to vocalize my beliefs and the common beliefs of all pirates upon this fine world.

"You are Sao Feng, the Pirate Lord of Singapore! You command in an age of piracy, where bold captains sail free waters. Where waves aren't measured in feet, but as increments of fear and those who pass the test become legend. Would you have that era come to an end on your watch? The most notorious pirates from around the world are uniting against our enemy." I took a deep breath, and suddenly found my emotions starting to get the best of me," And you sit here cowering in your bathwater! And I tell you that if I was in your position I would most certainly do all within my power to prevent extinction of our kind! I would not tremble at the thought of the East India Trading Company! As you do!"

Despite the fact I wanted to smack myself for insulting Sao Feng, I knew it was too late to apologize. So I remained strong, stood tall, and kept looking straight into his eyes. Acting as his equal.

Yet out of the corners of my eyes I could spot Elizabeth's proud smile, while my father starred in shock and Sirius kept his emotionless face.

But Sao now smirked at me, and took that last step towards me, as I remained tall and still, unmoving by his closeness and proximity.

"Beaux Hélène Béatrix Barbossa," he sighed as he began to walk around me in appraisal. "Or do you prefer to go with Sparrow, your legal wedded name?"

"Both, Barbossa-Sparrow." I answered confidently, still looking straight ahead.

Sao slightly chuckled at this, and then he commented," There is more to you than meets the eyes, isn't there?" But then he paused and continued near my ear in an intimate manor," And the eye does not go wanting."

I did not move nor did I make any attempt to glance at Sirius in worry, to show any form of weakness, despite the fact I could hear the uncomfortable breaths coming from within Sirius's chest.

But Sao continued his way around and stood back in front of me," But I cannot help but notice you have failed to answer my question."

Sao then looked back over at my father, allowing me to step back in line, next to Sirius and Elizabeth.

"What is it you seek in Davy Jones' Locker?" Sao questioned, leaned towards my father, with a dead serious expression.

Then fooling in lead of his stupid fiancée, Will spouted within his watery prison," Jack Sparrow!"

My father let out a nearly unnoticed sigh of anger, while Sao Feng's twin maidens giggled to one another, obviously showing they knew Jack Sparrow as well as my mother's whores.

"He is one of the Pirate Lords, and he still holds his piece of eight." Sirius finally spoke up, looking slightly upset.

Sao Feng's lips twitched in uncontrollable anger, as his hand went to the top of his head, in attempts to cool him down.

"The only reason," Sao stepped down from his dome area, towards Hung and his small crew," I would want Jack Sparrow returned from the land of the dead, is so I can send him back myself!" Sao then violently kicked a table over that several of his patrons were currently using.

Sirius then turned towards him and growled again, mirroring Sao Feng's displeased manner," Jack Sparrow holds one of the nine pieces of eight! I do not! He failed to pass it along to a successor before he died! So we must go and get him back."

I then noticed though how Sao was starring at the back of one of his patrons. I looked closer, and noticed…the tattoo was literally melting off of his back.

Oh, that can't be good!