Chapter 6: Sparrow Hunting and the Discovery
At this evening, Barbossa and Lucia docked their measly dinghy at the rowdy harbor of Tortuga. They had only one mission and that was to find Jack and Guinevere.
"Well, ye got us here. Now what?" Lucia asked.
"We search the Faithful Bride tavern," Barbossa declared, "I know Jack always retreats here every time he gets himself into trouble."
"He must be a regular here," Lucia quipped.
"Aye," agreed Barbossa.
She and Barbossa entered the Faithful Bride, the center of all chaos in the Caribbean. Both of them knew Jack would be there and were looking for clues of his whereabouts.
"Father, it's Scarlet and Giselle!" Lucia exclaimed, pointing to two women.
Barbossa looked up and noticed the red-haired Scarlet and golden-headed Giselle.
"Child, did you not remember what happened last time we inquired them of Jack's whereabouts?" Barbossa reminded her, "They won't help."
"They are Jack's former salty wenches and we need all the help we can get to find Jack and Guin," Lucia said.
"I'll not be slapped around by two wenches," Barbossa declared, "You can do the inquirin' and endure the slappin that follows."
"Agreed," Lucia said in concurrence.
Calmly, Lucia approached Scarlet and Giselle. "Ladies, I be on a quest to find Captain Jack Sparrow and his lady, Guin. Have you seen either of them or have any information of their whereabouts?"
"Captain Jack!" Scarlet exclaimed, feigning pleasure.
"Not seen 'im in ages," Giselle said plainly.
Scarlet smiled and approached Lucia. "This really is nothing personal, but will you pass on this message to Jack from Scarlet!"
Smack! Scarlet's hand flew across Lucia's face. Barbossa raised an eyebrow as if to say, 'I told you so'.
Giselle approached next and her hand dashed across Lucia's face quicker than lightning. "From Giselle!"
Barbossa smiled and his eyes were laughing at Lucia. In response, Lucia slapped Barbossa. Barbossa's smile was gone and replaced by a gape.
"Didn't think you were safe, did you?" Lucia quipped.
"This isn't getting us any closer to Sparrow," Barbossa said gloomily.
"But he's not here," Lucia replied, "Where on God's green earth could he be?"
"Sparrow not in Tortuga. He must really be in trouble if he can't hide here," Barbossa commented.
"What do you think happened to him?" Lucia wanted to know.
"I think someone has hold of Jack," Barbossa said, "Jack is good at running away from his pursuers. Something tells me if he's not here, he's crossed someone he can't escape."
"But what about Guin?" Lucia wanted to know.
"If Jack is threatened, so is his wench and everyone associated with him," Barbossa said wisely.
"What do we do now?" Lucia asked.
"Keep searching the island," Barbossa told her, "I don't think Jack is that far from our grasp."
So Barbossa and Lucia continued their search. They were desperate to find Jack and Guinevere. Little did they know, finding Jack wasn't that far away. Just as they began their search, the H.M.S. Intrepid docked in Tortuga.
Meanwhile, as night fell and the stars lit up the night, Guinevere crept out and hurried below decks. She found Juliet asleep below decks and snuck over to her.
"Juliet," she whispered, "Sweetheart, wake up."
Juliet moaned and opened her eyes. "Mother? What's going on?"
"Shh," Guinevere said, "Quietly, Juliet. We're getting out of here."
"How?" Juliet asked.
"We can use the boats," Guinevere told her, "We can send a message and get help. Hurry, Sweetheart! To the boats!"
Hastily and silently, Guinevere and Juliet raced up to the boat deck.
"Help me lower the boat," Guinevere told Juliet.
Juliet took hold of the rope securing the boat as did Guinevere.
"Heave!" Guinevere whispered.
She and Juliet pulled and the rope broke, freeing the boat.
"Get in, Sweetheart," Guinevere said to Juliet.
Juliet hopped into the boat. "But what about Father?"
Guinevere paused. "If we can get help, he'll be safe, too."
Guinevere stepped into the boat and lowered it. Once safely on the sea, Guinevere took an oar.
"Juliet, I need you to help me row," Guinevere instructed, "Your brother or sister exhausts what strength I have. I need your help."
"Aye, Mother," Juliet said obediently.
Juliet picked up an oar and she and Guinevere rowed out into the night as quickly as possible. With any luck, Guinevere hoped that she could get to land and find help. Just after a few pulls of the oar, Guinevere felt a pain in her.
"What's wrong?" Juliet asked in concern.
"It's just your baby brother or sister," Guinevere said dismissively, putting her hands around her belly, "He or she has been very active lately. I need you to take over."
Juliet grabbed the other oar and rowed with all her might. Guinevere quickly took out a rum bottle and a piece of paper from her coat. She then scribbled furiously on the paper and then stuffed the paper into the bottle.
"What's that for?" Juliet wanted to know.
"It's a message for help," Guinevere explained, "If a passing ship finds this, we can get help."
"Mother, you don't think that bastard Ponce de León has hurt Will, Elizabeth, Bootstrap or William, do you?" Juliet asked fearfully.
"First of all, Juliet Wilhelmina Elizabeth Rose Sparrow, watch your language," Guinevere began, "Secondly, I don't know."
"You're lying," Juliet said knowingly.
Guinevere sighed. "Anyone connected to your father is a target. I'm afraid that includes your godparents, too."
"Will we ever see them again?" Juliet asked.
"With hope, we will," Guinevere replied.
Suddenly, something tugged on the boat.
"Juliet, keep rowing," Guinevere told her daughter.
"I can't," Juliet replied, "Something's pulling on the boat."
Within minutes, Guinevere and Juliet's boat was dragged towards a vessel. On the ship's stern was a woman of marble and atop the mast were red and yellow. Spanish colours.
"Oh, bugger," Guinevere groaned.
Thinking quickly, Guinevere tossed the bottle over, sending it sailing out to sea. She prayed it would be found by someone and fast. In a flash, the boat was hauled aboard the Spanish ship and Guinevere and Juliet were snatched by two four men at knifepoint. They were taken before the vile Ponce de Leon and met him calmly.
"Welcome back, Señora Guinevere and Señorita Juliet," Leon greeted coldly.
"Charmed," Guinevere said icily.
"It is odd to find you here so late at night, so far out to sea," Leon told her.
"I was getting some exercise. You wouldn't know, but it is quite a task bearing children," Guinevere spat.
Leon smiled. "I'm not sure it was your muscles you were exercising, Señora."
"That's because you're too weak to bear children," Guinevere fired back.
"I don't think so, Señora," Leon replied, "It seemed like you were exercising your treachery and foolishness. I'm bound to punish you and your child for this offence. I might be inclined to pardon you if you cooperate."
"Pardon this, you knave!" Juliet spat, stomping on León's foot.
León simple grabbed her and held a knife to her throat. "A brave niño. You're bravery can get you into trouble as you've already learned."
"If you have a brain in your head, you'll release her," Guinevere growled, "She's only a child. She had nothing to do with this escape attempt. I forced her into it. Let her go, you pusillanimous thickhead!"
"Where were you going?" León demanded.
"Don't tell the knave anything, Mother!" Juliet protested.
Leon slapped his hand over her mouth. "Shut up! Tell me where you were going or I'll slit her throat!"
"We were headed for Port Royal," Guinevere lied, "Now let her go!"
"It's amusing how weak people are when it comes to children," León laughed, releasing Juliet.
"You're going to get it," Juliet said menacingly, "You wait until my father gets a hold of you and kicks your weasly black guts."
"If your father wants you alive, niño, he will not," León told her.
"Let us go, now!" Guinevere growled, "We told you what you wanted. Release us."
"I'm not inclined to release both of you," León told her, "Del Toro, bind Senorita Juliet and lock her in the brig."
"No!" Guinevere protested, "Juliet!"
"Mother!" Juliet screamed as she was dragged away.
Juliet was forced to her knees and her wrists were bound behind her. Del Toro pulled out a grey cloth and wound it around her mouth. At knifepoint, Juliet, struggling against Del Toro, was led down to the brig.
"You treacherous fiend!" Guinevere screamed, "I swear when I get out of here, I'll kill you myself."
"If you value your life as well as the lives of your children, husband, and crew, you will learn to cooperate and hold your tongue," León warned her.
"Let me go!" Guinevere spat.
"I will, but not before I have some fun," León replied wickedly, "Men, dress Señora Guinevere's in a shift and bind her. Load her into the boat. Have fun with this."
In no time, Guinevere found herself in only a dirty shift. Guinevere shivered in the cold but did not let Leon win the satisfaction of her suffering. Guinevere was shoved to her knees and ropes coiled around her wrists. A cloth was then shoved into her mouth.
León then approached her and gazed up and down at her. "I did not know you had such arresting features, Señora. Your husband is a lucky man to have you still."
León's men roared with laughter as Guinevere glared at him.
"Speaking of your husband, let's pay him a visit, shall we?" Leon said smoothly, "Make way to the Black Pearl!"
Guinevere was shoved into a boat with Leon and two men. She prayed that Juliet would not be harmed for her escape attempt. Guinevere felt a pain in her again. Her child would be born soon and she was fearful that the child would be a target. Guinevere was now more determined than ever to escape for the sake of her family.
Back on board the Spanish Lady, Juliet beheld a sight she had not intended to see. There was another prisoner, bound and gagged next to her. The other prisoner wore a red gash on his head and sweat was on his brow. At the sight of the other prisoner, Juliet's eyes brightened not because she had company, but because she knew the company she was in. Wiggling with all her might, Juliet freed her hands and removed her gag. She then proceeded to the other prisoner and untied him.
The prisoner moaned and opened his eyes. "Juliet?"
Juliet gasped and smiled. "Oh, my God! William!"