Chapter 17
It was strange. Very strange.
Once morning hit the Pearl, the young pirate walked up on deck with a smile on her face. She actually skipped around the deck, greeting people cheerfully. It was thanks to the night before Jewel was so happy.
However, the crew couldn't help but stare at her. Some were even afraid.
When she finally climbed up to the crow's nest, most everybody turned to Jack, expecting him to do something. He was uncomfortable under their gaze.
"Oh alright." he said before climbing up to the crow's nest to follow his daughter. Her chin was leaning on her fists with her elbows on the edge of the nest. A smile was on her face as she hummed a cheerful tune.
"Luv?" Jack asked. Jewel gasped and turned around.
"Oh dad! You scared me!" Jewel giggled. Jack leaned away from her, as is she had a disease.
"Are you... Unwell?" he asked
"Of course not! I'm perfectly fine, wonderful in fact." Jewel responded, put off a little at the very thought. However, she kept her cheerful demeanor. "Why? Have the crew actually been complaining about my disposition?"
"Well, as a matter of fact... Yes luv. You scare them." Jack said flatly. Jewel's smile fell.
"Oh... I'm.. I'm sorry then. I just feel like I can fly in the air with the sun on my face and it's just wonderful dad!" Jewel said, spinning around with her arms out, the smile returning. She stopped herself though. "But, if the crew is not finding it to be a good thing, I'll try to ease up on it." Jack nodded and patted her on the shoulder.
"Good." he said. He was about to climb down from the nest, but then stopped and looked at Jewel.
"Why are you so happy?" he asked
"... I had a wonderful nights sleep, with the best dream I've ever had in a long time." Jewel explained, nodding her head. Jack accepted the answer and climbed back down to the main deck. Jewel sighed contentedly.
"Ah, romance. So this is what I've been missing." she said. She honestly wished she had a flower to hold to help complete the picture of the love-struck pirate. But then again, they might ask questions. It's odd enough for them to see her so happy now, but if they knew why, things might get complicated.
At around noon, an island was spotted. With Jewel in the nest, it usually meant it was her duty to alert the rest of the crew.
"Land ho!" She yelled down to them all, "Island off our bowsprit!"
Maybe she would find a flower there.
From how far they were, they were only able to make out a large mountain in the center of the island with lush green landscape covering it. As they sailed closer, the crew began to notice that there were rocky walls surrounding it and even rocks in the water, camouflaged by sea moss and seaweed.
Jewel climbed down on deck to look at the island in a different perspective. Granted it looked large from just in the crow's nest, but the marvel of the island set in once she was on deck. Jack walked up next to her.
"This is where the pirate lords all meet?" she asked
"Aye luv. But first we have to sai-" Jack started
"Sail into a cave and down the devil's throat. It's the only way to reach shipwreck cove and the Brethren Court." Jewel said, turning to him with a smile on her face. He was surprised with his daughter's knowledge.
"Mom told me." she said
"Ah." Jack said
"Look alive, and keep a weather eye!" Gibbs called out, "Not for naught it's called Shipwreck Island, where lies Shipwreck Cove and the town of Shipwreck."
"You heard him. Step lively!" Pintel called out
"Makes me thankful we're not sailing through fog." Jewel said. Jack nodded in agreement. She walked with him meeting with Gibbs. The three walked up toward the helm.
"For all that pirates are clever cobs, we are an unimaginative lot when it comes to naming things." Jack commented
"Aye." Gibbs said
"Well..." Jewel started, trying to think of a retort. But then again she was a pirate named jewel.
"Yeah, you're right." She admitted. Jack stopped waking, making the other two stop.
"I once sailed with a geezer lost both of his arms and part of his eye." he said. Jewel made a face at the description.
"And what'd you call him?" Gibbs asked. Jack paused.
"... Larry." he answered. Jewel let out a short laugh, the turned around. She noticed Barbossa talking with Tia Dalma across the deck.
"No luv." Jack said, knowing what was about to happen. She looked up the stairs at him.
"Yes dad." she said, closing her eyes and appearing across the deck. From where she stood, she saw Jack shaking his head before going all the way to the helm. She turned back to Tia and Barbossa talking to each other, Pintel and Ragetti standing by.
"I don't reneg on a bargain once struck." Barbossa said, "But we agreed on ends only, the means are mine to decide." He reached a hand to her face to stroke her cheek, but it was quickly caught.
"Caution, Barbossa." Tia Dalma said, "Do not forget it was by my power you return from the dead, or what it means should you fail me." Barbossa's hand shriveled up, looking like it belonged to a corpse rather than a living human. Tia let go and began to walk away. Barbossa stopped her by grabbing her arm.
"Don't forget why you had to bring me back," he said, "and why I could not leave Jack to his well deserved fate." She lowered her head, "It took nine pirate lords to bind you, Calypso," Upon saying the name, she glared at Barbossa, "And it'll take no less than nine to set ye free. Masters Pintel and Ragetti. Take this fishwife to the brig." Tia pulled her arm out of Barbossa's grasp and never broke her stare even as Pintel and Ragetti escorted her away.
"Right this way, Mrs. Fish." Pintel said. Barbossa payed no attention to Tia Dalma's hatred. Instead he looked at the hand that was temporarily dead. His normal human hand.
"You made a bargain with her?" Jewel asked
"Aye. In exchange for bringing me back to life, I was to help release her." Barbossa said
"And is she really-?" Jewel started, holding an arm out to the direction she was taken away. Barbossa only nodded.
"Oh my God." Jewel said, walking in front of him, running her hand through her hair, "That explains almost everything."
"There is more to our bargain though." Barbossa said, following her. She turned around to face him.
"What else?" she asked
"Two parts. The first I understood, but the second confused me at first." he said, "The first was that I had to help return Jack to our world. With him being a pirate lord, I knew he'd be needed. The second though, was to make sure no harm came to you, under any circumstances." This confused Jewel too.
"Me? Why would Calypso care about me?" she asked
"Was hopin' ye'd answer me that." he said, shaking his head.
"But she hates me! She almost made me drown before you saved me." Jewel said, "But then... While I was asleep, I heard of the curse that gave me this." She put a hand to the kraken tattoo. "I need to talk to her." She started walking off.
"Not now Sparrow." Barbossa said, stopping her with only his words.
"Why not?" she asked. He pointed ahead of them at the biggest cave Jewel had ever seen in her life.
"We're almost to the court." he said.