The Price of ƒ я e e d o м
A PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN FANFICTION

The Price of ƒ я e e d o м © xoxoMyRealityIsFiction
Pirates of the Caribbean © Disney
Ayisha/Amenirdis © A.C. Crispin

Scene Eight:
Legend Has It...

Once Ayisha closed her eyes the darkness underneath her eyelids shimmered, a scenery taking shape. The golden sun was setting, casting a light hue through the open window of the building made of large square stones. Ayisha stood in a room, a feeling a comfort and love filling her body as she recognized the room as the throne room where her parents would listen to their people's problem, if any. Two large chairs made of pure gold sat on a square foundation, also made of stone, and the only source of light was lit torches that were lined along the walls. Golden curtains blew gently in the wind, Ayisha feeling the gentle breeze on her face, cooling her hot body.

Oh, how she missed home.

Her hair fell loosely and straight, cascading down her back. Gold beads were in her hair, keeping it straight by its weight. Her body was bare, a golden loincloth only covering her womanhood, lightly swaying by her knees. Staring down at her hands, seeing the black ink markings that were beautifully drawn over the golden paint on her entire body, she rubbed her fingers together, feeling the grainy pain. It was a Kermanian tradition that she always hated. Having to wake up in the early morning hours, bathe, and then take hours on end to let the servants paint and draw on her body. It was said that the fashion in which the black ink was drawn, that it would catch the sins so that it wouldn't enter their soul, keeping it pure, and then once you washed the paint off – the sins of the day went with it.

Footsteps patted against the polished floor, and Ayisha turned around to see her mother walking towards her with a smile on her face. "I was beginning to wonder when you would contact me." Ayisha's mother walked up to her. "Is something the matter, my daughter?"

"Have I done the right thing in leaving home, Mother?" Ayisha murmured solemnly.

"You left for love, did you not?"

Ayisha nodded.

"Then you did the right thing. Love comes once in a lifetime, and if one is lucky enough to find it, then follow it wherever it goes," her mother, Tiyy, added.

"But," Ayisha hesitated to say. "What if one doubts said love? What if they thought they loved the person in whom they claimed to love, and in the end that love begins to fade away?"

"You doubt your love for this man for whom you left for?" asked Tiyy.

"…he does things that causes me to doubt," answered Ayisha. "I try to look past these things because I love him; but whenever I see him do these acts, my heart aches…breaks…day by day, minute by minute. Mother, I do not want my love for Jack to fade. What do I do?"

"You have never doubted your love for him before, have you not?"

Ayisha nodded.

"Then what brought it on now?"

"…we took a man onboard. He is risking his life -gave up his reputation!- for love. We are helping him rescue a woman, and Jack is only helping him for his own selfish benefit. Mother, he has changed. He is no longer the man I fell in love with. He turned himself into someone I no longer know – using people for his own personal gain. What…what if he is using me because he knows that I will not leave him." Tears streamed down Ayisha's cheek, smearing the paint on her face. "What if he's only using me because I can help in opening up the entrance to the labyrinth?"

Tiyy cupped Ayisha's cheek, gently rubbing her thumb across Ayisha's face. "My daughter, are you trying to tell me that you wish to come home?"

Ayisha locked eyes with her beautiful mother, baffled for words. She only contacted her mother for advice in trying to keep her love for Jack, bright. But now that Tiyy has offered to welcome her back home, it sounded…tempting.

"…I…" Ayisha never got to finish her answer, something breaking the mental link that she was having with her mother,

Blinking her eyes open Ayisha lifted her hands and touched the new cloth that was draped over her shoulders. Tugging the cotton cloth, so that it slid off her shoulders, she lifted it in front of her, seeing that it was a white cloak with gold trimming. It was beautiful and smooth to the touch. Glancing over her shoulder Ayisha spotted Jack sitting on the bed and pulling off his boots, letting them fall to the floor with a heavy thud. Turning her attention back to the cloak in hand she gently ran her fingers across the cool material and felt wetness on her cheeks. Touching her face, withdrawing her hand, she saw that her crying in the mental link with her mother had followed her back into reality.

Rising to her feet Ayisha strolled over to Jack, to apologize for running off on him and probably causing worry, but it was too late, he was asleep. The stench of rum and…something else Ayisha was too disgusted and disappointed to name filled her nose when she got closer to his sleeping form. It seems that he took the whores offer…

Ayisha's heart ached, as if someone thrust their hand deep into her chest and squeezed her heart with all their might. Staring down at her hands, realizing that they were clenched tight and crumpling the beautiful cloak, she relaxed her fingers. Switching her gaze back and forth, from Jack to the cloak, she hugged the material close to her chest. At least he still brought her something, just like he promised. It wasn't as if he bought the whore something as well…right? Or was Ayisha just making up excuses for Jack so that the pain in her chest would go away?

…she needed some fresh air. Wrapping her new cloak around her shoulders Ayisha left the captain's quarters and walked out, onto the main deck. The sky was black, stars twinkling above, and Ayisha took in a deep breath as she leaded against the rail, and stared up towards the sky. Maybe Will was right. Why was she still with Jack if there was no reason to be? Was love enough anymore? Especially if that love was beginning to dwindle?

Speaking of Will; where was he? Was he still with Gibbs? Or had he come back onboard the Interceptor? Concern caused Ayisha to frown. It was much too dangerous for her to go search for him in Tortuga by herself, and Jack was asleep. Besides, even if he was awake, he probably wouldn't want to go look.

Despite her worry for Will's safety Ayisha began to feel her eyelids go heavy; but she didn't really want to go back to the captain's quarters to sleep with Jack; especially when the memory of him with another woman was fresh in her mind. She would go into the extra cabin but that was reserved for Will (if he was even in there). Ayisha's eyes drifted up towards the crow's nest. It wouldn't be the first time she slept up there; she loved to be as close to the stars as possible sometimes.

– WILL –

They were wasting time. Elizabeth was in danger at the very moment, and all they had done was come to a pirate safe-haven, woke up a drunken man, came to a tavern, and brought said drunken man a drink.

All of a sudden, Will heard a loud thud. Lifting his gaze from the tankard Gibbs had brought for him, Will noticed that Mr. Gibbs had fallen back with his seat. Will waited for a moment, thinking that Mr. Gibbs was going to get back up; but he didn't, and it didn't look like he was going to get up anytime soon, either. Will then looked down at his own tankard, again , the contents still untouched. Sighing, he sluggishly got up from his chair, walked over to where Mr. Gibbs had fallen, and stared down at the portly man's limp figure. Now what was he supposed to do with him? Where was Jack and Ayisha? Shouldn't they be back by now?

Will's head perked at his own thoughts, his once sluggish mind alert. They wouldn't... Will thought, running out of the tavern, leaving Gibbs behind. He wasn't serious, was he? Will continued to think, mind flashing back to Jack's words about using him as leverage for something dealing with the pirates who had taken Elizabeth hostage. And as Will was running all the way to where the Interceptor was docked, he thought that he was stupid to think that he could trust a pirate. Was his love for Elizabeth blinding him so much that he would trust anyone that was 'willing' to help him save her?

But what about Ayisha? She actually seemed like a decent person. But, like he had already deduced about her already, she was ready to do whatever Jack wished of her; so if Jack wanted to leave him behind, she would probably let him.

Will skidded to a halt, looking up at the figure leaning against the railing of the Interceptor. His breath came out in short pants, he having just sprinted an indeterminable distance, and just continued to stare up at the silhouette of Ayisha. She was leaning against the rail, a white lightly transparent cloak flapping gingerly in the wind with the hood drawn over her head, but from his angle, Will had a clear view of her face. Her lips were full and formed in a pout, her eyes shimmering underneath the moonlight. She was holding back tears; and the only way Will noticed was because he had seen her try to hold back tears before, when she tried to explain her complicated relationship with Jack, after he asked her why she stayed with him.

Will noticed a lot of things about Ayisha; she was a lot like him in many ways. Someone who would do anything and everything for the person they love; not caring what would happen to them during the process.

Ayisha withdrew from the rail, and Will headed up the plank, seeing her stare up at the sky,

"Where's Jack?" he asked out loud.

"...resting," Ayisha answered, not looking back at him, and Will noticed the bite in her tone.

Walking up to Ayisha, standing at her side, Will asked in concern, "Is something wrong?"

"...no," Ayisha answered after a brief pause. "I'm sorry that we left you at the tavern. Where is Mr. Gibbs?"

"Uh...resting."

Ayisha giggled, turning her gaze up to Will, and Will stared into her dark eyes, letting his body go lax. Her eyes were filled with various emotions that made Will's mind go hazy. They were so full of wisdom, affection, and...pain? Sadness? Hurt? Will didn't know how long they were in eye-contact, but Ayisha stepped away from him, breaking the eye-contact. "You should rest," she said, tone soft. "I'm sure Jack will want to wake at sunrise."

Will watched Ayisha leave, only to confuse him by climbing up the netting leading up the crows nest. He wanted to ask why she was going up to the crows nest, but he felt disgusted with himself, and he then, with heavy footsteps, went to the cabin that he claimed for himself. The cabin was small, only having a hammock taking up one side of the wall, and a nightstand that had a candle perched on top. Will laid on the hammock, his hands behind his head, and stared up at the ceiling.

What had just happened? He had felt a deep emotion with Ayisha. Seeing the pain in her eyes made him feel pain - like it was his fault that she was emotionally distraught. And he wanted to fix it. He wanted to do something that would make her smile.

Rolling over on his side, Will closed his eyes. He tried to picture Elizabeth in his mind, like he did every night before he went to sleep. But as soon as Elizabeth formed in his mind, Will felt nothing but guilt.

– AYISHA, THE NEXT MORNING –

Ayisha took her time, despite Jack's words that they must make haste, and let him, along with Will, to meet up with Mr. Gibbs and the new members of the crew. She wanted to walk along the beach to clear her thoughts about the events that happened between her and Will the night before. She tried to come up with excuses as to why she liked her time alone with Will, and came up that she was just vulnerable after her conversation with her mother, and her doubt of Jack. Her silence towards Jack was her punishment for him (the ulterior being that she felt too guilty to even face him), seeing as how he was one of the few she actually talked to. She knew that ignoring him would make him antsy and ready to apologize; though he would always say that he didn't do anything wrong to apologize for. And maybe if he would apologize, the bad feeling in Ayisha's gut would go away.

The hood of Ayisha's new cloak was pulled over her head, casting a shadow over most of her face. She walked down the dock, towards Jack, Will, Mr. Gibbs and the new crew, noticing that they were already preparing the dinghies to head back to the Interceptor. Hm, seems that she missed the introduction. Coming up to the small crowd, watching the new crew board the dinghies, Ayisha stood at the edge of the dock, waiting for them to settle so that she, too, can board a dinghy that had the least amount of people. Maybe she should have stayed on-board the Interceptor...she hated meeting new people. Especially pirates.

After everyone was settled, all eyes moved towards Ayisha, seeing as how she was the only one left standing on the dock.

"W'ere have ye been?" asked Jack in a demanding tone, standing up in the dinghy he was sharing with Mr. Gibbs and Will, with his balled hands on his sides. "Taken any longer and I would have left ye."

No he wouldn't.

Ayisha was about to step into the dinghy but Jack didn't move aside to make room. Instead he turned around so that he was facing the other dinghies, and the pirates that were on them, and held his hands up in the air. "All right, listen up 'cause I'm only going to say this once." Jack held up a finger, his body lolling forward and back. "This," he gestured to Ayisha who was standing behind him, still on the dock, "is Ayisha, she, is off limits. No touchy whatsoever, ye hear?"

Silence filled the air and Ayisha felt uncomfortable at the stares she was receiving.

"If any one of you touches 'er, or even looks at her in the wrong way - I have no problem throwin' ye overboard in the middle of the sea, savvy?" Jack hitched his thumbs in his pistol holster that was hanging loosely around his waist. "Now…any objections?"

No answer.

"Good," Jack grinned and turned around so that he was facing Ayisha again. Ayisha took Jack's hand that he held out towards her, and let him help her step into the dinghy that he was in. Shakily, because of the swaying of the dinghy, Ayisha managed to plop down next to Will –much to Jack's annoyance– since Mr. Gibbs was almost big enough to take a bench for himself. But Ayisha subconsciously scooted further to the side, away from Will, not noticing that Will did the exact same thing.

"What makes 'er so special?" a feminine voice questioned.

Ayisha was shocked to see that it was a woman who had spoken up; though the mocha skin toned woman looked oddly familiar. Then it hit her. The woman was named Anamaria, a woman whom Jack had temporarily 'wooed' so that he could steal her boat. Ayisha was against the whole thing, feeling guilty about taking someone else boat like that, but Jack ignored her pleas to find another boat and then Ayisha found them sailing out into the sea with yet another stolen boat.

"Because I said so," Jack answered simply, with a curt nod of his head, sitting down on a bench, and Will began to row back to the Interceptor.

Ayisha stared out towards the Interceptor, the hood still over her head, and a strange sense of dread filling her heart. Now that Jack had a crew, their journey to find the Black Pearl would begin, and Ayisha, because of her sixth sense, felt that they were going to go through a lot of trouble to find Barbossa.

"Darlin'?" Jack's voice laced with concern. Ayisha faced Jack, and even though her hood was shadowing her face, she could tell that Jack knew what she was feeling. "…it's not goin' t' be easy, is it?" He practically read her mind. Ayisha, with a frown on her lips, shook her head. No. It was not going to be easy. "When is it ever?" he responded with a grin on his face. A grin that made all of Ayisha's concern melt away, replacing it with hope.

How could she have ever doubted him? The different auras dealing with the search for the Pearl, was messing with her emotions.

"How can you tell?" Will questioned towards Ayisha, his body moving forward and backwards as he pedaled, using the oars.

"Ye don't know about Ayisha's ancestry do ye, lad?" Mr. Gibbs said, using his gruff tone of voice that he used when he told one of his tales. Will shook his head. "Well, I meself only heard rumors because she refuses to utter a word about her past before Jack." Ayisha rolled her eyes at Mr. Gibbs, and Jack gave her a crooked grin, knowing her frustration. Ayisha, too, heard the rumors, and most were false, the rest only half close; and let Mr. Gibb's imagination go wild. "It is said that she is from a place that does not exist because it cannot be found. A place where all your wildest dreams come true. A place of magic." Mr. Gibbs grinned, and Will was caught into his tale, still rowing. "The people there have abilities that we cannot comprehend, and beauty beyond compare that will take your very breath away if they wish it. They know things – see things that we cannot; and Ayisha was their queen. It's said that she was found in the middle of a desert and then sold off into slavery. That is, until Jack found her. He rescued her from her master, saved her from a lifetime of servitude; and in return she became his protector. His all seeing eye." Gibbs finished off in an eerie tone, tapping his temple.

Ayisha shook her head, silently sighing in exasperation, and then realized that Will was not the only person to have heard Gibb's tale of her. The new crew were practically tilting their own dingies over, trying to get closer to Ayisha's boat, to hear Gibb's story.

"None of that is true, lad, don't believe it," said Jack, leaning casually against the boat, inspecting the dirt underneath his nails. He then sat up straight, "Well, the whole she's a queen thing. She gave that up to sail the seven seas with me. The part where I rescued her is completely true." Jack grinned and Ayisha blew air out of her lips. Of course he would say that part is true.

Someone from the boat nearest them reached over and pulled Ayisha's hood down, causing Ayisha to gasp in shock, her hand flying to the top of her head.

"Oi, what did I say about the touchin'?" Jack raised his voice, his hands wildly waving in the air, water sloshing into the dinghy.

(A/N) Authors Note: A bit of Will/Ayisha (requested by .S Y N T H E T I Cperfection.), and something in Will's P.O.V (requested by Firestar'sneice)

If I write a book, would you guys buy/read it if it ever got published and I tell you about it?

Oh, and what are some of your favorite TV shows and/or movies? I don't have cable, but I do have internet, and I need something to watch whenever I get bored and feel like procrastinating.

And, who's excited for the possibility of a 5th film? Because I sure as hell am! They said that the script is done, but Johnny wants to wait it out a bit - to make it more special. Which I totally agree.
Well, I would agree with anything Johnny says actually...
Yup, crazy stalker fan girl moment...

-clears throat;
...Review please...