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 Ten:
One Life For Another
– ELIZABETH –
Still in shock that Will asked that she leave him and Ayisha alone, Elizabeth descended up the steps leading to the main deck. As soon as she reached the main deck, anger boiled deep with Elizabeth. She saw the look in Will's eye when he was staring at, at...that woman. He wouldn't even look at her when Ayisha came into the cabin, but before, all he did was stare at her, even try to kiss her! If only she let him... Maybe if she did, he would direct his full attention onto her, rather than Ayisha.
Why should Will fell guilty about leaving Jack Sparrow, behind? Simply because Ayisha went all pouty face, and depressed? Ayisha left her behind when she was being taken by the pirates; even after she screamed for her help! If anything, Ayisha was like any other pirate in the sea; only thinking of themselves, and no other. Still in the over-sized maroon dress Captain Barbossa forced her into, Elizabeth lifted the many layers of skirts, and made her way to the quarter deck, where, oddly, a woman was standing at the helm. But before Elizabeth made it all the way to the top, she spotted, from the corner of her eye, Ayisha emerging from below deck, heading up in her direction. Ayisha didn't even look twice at Elizabeth, but Elizabeth didn't care, because soon after Ayisha came out, so did Will, with the same look upon his face as before. He looked up at her, she smiled, and he weakly smiled back at her, but didn't meet her gaze. Frowning, Elizabeth wondered what Will was thinking about when, instead of coming to her, he went in the opposite direction.
– AYISHA –
Ayisha stared out at the open sea, standing on the quarter deck of the Interceptor, towards the general direction of the Isla De Muerta; the place where they left Jack. She felt numb, like a piece of her was ripped out and tossed overboard. Just a while ago she was contemplating on going back to Kerma because she doubted her love for Jack; that he was just using her feelings for him like he did with anything he knew he had control over. But, now that he was gone, Ayisha hated herself for ever doubting her love for Jack. He just wanted to protect her. Wanted to keep her safe. Besides, he never verbally told her that he loved her, so why did she even think that he returned her feelings? She was just a nuisance that needed to be watched over constantly because she was naïve to the harsh reality of the real world outside of Kerma.
Feeling a presence walk up beside her, a figure catching the corner of her eye, Ayisha then turned her head to the side seeing Anamaria stare out towards the open sea with her hands resting on the thick wooden pushpit. "…I'm sorry for your loss. Jack was a good man," Anamaria commented as if she were talking about the weather, the subject of Jack's death obviously touchy for both of them.
Ayisha turned her gaze away from Anamaria, back towards the sea. She hadn't spoken a word since her outburst towards Will, though it wasn't unusual since she hadn't spoken to any of the crew members besides Mr. Gibbs. But Anamaria, to her, seemed like the kind of woman Ayisha could relate to. "At least you've got your ship," Ayisha replied, softly, thoughts still in a haze between disbelief and shock. "And since you are now acting captain, I have a request I would like to ask of you." Ayisha's hands balled into fists. "I ask if you can please take me home. I will pay you for your accommodation once we get there."
"You are welcome to stay, but if that is what you wish, then I will comply." Anamaria touched Ayisha's arm before going back to her duties.
The corner of Ayisha's lips lifted as she followed Anamaria's retreating figure, the mocha colored woman standing erect at the helm of the Interceptor; she was going to be a good captain. A sudden gust of wind blowing at the back of her head caught Ayisha's attention, her hair flying with the breeze, and eyes widening at the chill that pierced through her body. Sharply facing back towards the open sea, a familiar fog formed in the distance.
"MR. GIBBS!" Ayisha bellowed out at the top of her lungs, switching back and forth between the upcoming fog and the main deck, where Mr. Gibbs was helping secure the ropes for the fore sail. Her sudden shout caught everyone's attention, all eyes of the crew veering in her direction. Instead of shouting again, Ayisha pointed in the direction of the large gray fog that was steadily drawing closer and closer with each passing second. Mr. Gibbs rushed up the stairs, to the quarter deck and beside Ayisha, Anamaria running up beside her, too, all staring at the upcoming fog.
"By God's…ALL HANDS ON DECK!" Mr. Gibbs darted away from beside Ayisha, back to the main deck, where the other crew members stood in confusion at the sudden change in mood.
"…they're coming back for her," Anamaria stated out loud and then rushed back to her post at the helm.
Ayisha turned away from Anamaria, back to the upcoming form of the Black Pearl. While Mr. Gibbs was shouting orders to the crew in the background, Ayisha inspected the Pearl from the distance. Her eyes scanned every part of the ship she could see peek out from behind the fog, but her eyes weren't really doing the searching. She was feeling for something. But with all the chaos happening on the Interceptor, Ayisha was having trouble in concentrating. Mentally cursing, she darted off of the quarter deck, down the steps, and burst the door of the captain's quarters down.
Grabbing her bow and strapping the quiver to her back, Ayisha then quickly concealed whatever daggers she had left. If she knew Barbossa, then he and his crew would board the Interceptor to search for Elizabeth – though they really should be searching for Will – and Ayisha wasn't going to let them have her without a fight; even though she knew that the crew was cursed. She lost Jack to save Elizabeth, and she'll be damned if she lets them take her back so simply.
Emerging from the captain's quarters, ready to fight, Ayisha was just in time to hear, "Load the guns! Take shot and langrage. Nails and crushed glass! With a will!" Jogging to the port side of the ship Ayisha leaned as far as she could over the side, the Black Pearl closer than she last saw it before preparing herself. "The Pearl is going to luff up on our port quarter. She'll rake us without ever presenting a target."
Ayisha looked towards Mr. Gibbs, the one to shout both statements, and then joined him in climbing up to the quarter deck. "We have to prepare for battle. Barbossa will board," she stated, Anamaria staring at her with a worried expression on her face, her knuckles visibly turning white from gripping the handles of the helm too hard.
"Lower the anchor on the right side," Elizabeth commented in a soft tone, like someone who was thinking deeply as well as speaking at the same time, all eyes turning to the governor of Port Royal's, daughter with raised eyebrows. "On the starboard side!" The young woman raised her voice as if stating the most obvious solution to their problem.
"It certainly has the element of surprise," Will announced, coming up from behind Gibbs and Elizabeth. Ayisha ground her teeth at the sight of him, but pushed aside her anger towards the young man because of the situation they were in, turning her attention back to Anamaria since it was her call.
"You're daft, lady! You both are!" Anamaria shook her head at both Will and Elizabeth.
"...Daft like Jack!" Gibbs let a sly smile slid across his lips, spinning on the balls of his feet so that he was looking down towards the main deck, "Lower the starboard anchor! Do it, ye dogs, or it's you we'll load into the cannons!" He barked the order without Anamaria's consent, Ayisha staring at the woman at the helm. Both women locked eyes. Anamaria had a grim expression on her face, pursing her lips at Ayisha, and Ayisha frowned in response. They had no other choice.
The ship began to turn as the anchor was lowered. "Let go!" Elizabeth ordered to Anamaria, her voice carrying with the gusts of wind.
Anamaria hesitated, glancing at Ayisha one last time, but then withdrew from the helm and stepped back. Ayisha yelped as her body was thrust to the side at the sharp turn the Interceptor suddenly made, her arms wildly gesticulating to grab something to hold onto. She landed on the floor with a hard thud, sliding back until her back collided with the port side of the ship. Scampering to her feet Ayisha then rushed over to Anamaria, who grabbed the handles of the helm again, both of them staring, breath panting, as the Pearl pulled up alongside of them. Anamaria and Ayisha locked eyes as both ships began to fire upon each other, shards of wood trickling down like rain.
Ayisha ducked, something whirling by her head. Snapping herself into action she readied her bow, standing protectively in front of Anamaria, who was attempting to keep the Interceptor steady. Letting go of the bow string, sending her first arrow zooming, Ayisha hit one of the Pearl's crew who attempted to come aboard the Interceptor, sending him down to the depths of the sea. A shot went past Ayisha's head and hit another pirate trying to come onto the ship while Ayisha was arming another arrow to the bow string, the barrel of a pistol appearing by her head. Anamaria pulled back the gun, smirked at Ayisha, and Ayisha beamed back.
"You protect the bow, I'll stay here!" Anamaria shouted, reloading her pistol. Ayisha nodded and jogged down the steps, past Gibbs, Elizabeth and Will, who were shooting their own rifles. Narrowly dodging bullets and cannon fire, Ayisha slid on her knees, using the side of the ship as cover, and then stopped next to Marty who was loading the cannon.
Pulling back the string to the bow, about to fire, a cannon ball shot past her and hit the main mast, sending it hurling down. Ayisha screamed as shards of wood scraped against her skin as they flew past her, the mast narrowly missing her and landed on the main deck with a solid thump.
By the time Ayisha collected herself, pirates of the Pearl were already boarded, attacking the crew of the Interceptor. Growling she tossed aside her bow and withdrew the daggers within her sleeves. Launching to her feet she attacked the first opposing pirate she laid eyes on. Thrusting her right dagger out, the pirate leaned back and dodged the strike, but Ayisha then spun the dagger in her left hand expertly with her fingers and then thrust the blade into the pirate's chest, pushing on the handle with all her might until he fell back and overboard, into the sea.
Another pirate attacked her causing Ayisha to stagger back until she almost fell overboard herself. With wide eyes she tried to regain her balance so that she wouldn't slip and fall into the water, but then the heel of her boot slid back and Ayisha closed her eyes at the feeling of falling forming in the pit of her stomach. A hand suddenly grabbed her wrist, pulling her back onto the Interceptor. About to thank whoever saved her, thinking that it was a crew member of the Interceptor, Ayisha's smile slid off her face when she caught sight of the large colored man that she knew by the name of Bo'sun.
Ayisha gasped, and Bo'sun grinned. "The cap'n will be happy to see you still alive."
Ayisha tried to pull her arm free from Bo'sun's hold, but his grip only tightened causing her to wince in pain. Bo'sun yanked Ayisha forward, her body colliding to his rock-hard chest, and then pulled her over his broad shoulder; much like Jack had done to lock her in the room. Instead, this time, Ayisha kicked and screamed, pounding her fists on Bo'sun's back. Cheers and shouts of victory rang in the air, but Ayisha had a suspicion that it didn't come from the crew of the Interceptor. Bo'sun climbed back on-board the Pearl, as did everyone else. Ayisha spotted from the corner of her eye the crew of the Interceptor huddled together as the crew of the Pearl held up pistols and various types of other weapons to them.
"Cap'n, I've got a little present for you," Bo'sun said, and Ayisha's whole body tensed, knowing exactly who Bo'sun was talking to.
Suddenly Ayisha fell roughly to the ground, Bo'sun tossing her off his shoulder carelessly, and while still on all fours Ayisha lifted her head when a pair of black boots came into her view. Hair loose and a knotted mess, Ayisha's breath was ragged when she locked eyes with a smirking Barbossa. Bo'sun roughly grabbed her upper-arm, pulling her back up and onto her feet, and Ayisha gasped in pain as her body was tossed about like a ragdoll by the large man.
"Easy there, Bo'sun," Barbossa stepped closer to Ayisha, brushing aside a strand of her hair, "Don't want to have to harm such a lovely lady, too, much." Ayisha glared at Barbossa as he stepped around her, Bo'sun letting go of her arm, and then walked circles around her and barked out an order as he inspected Ayisha from head to toe, "Let's get a movin'! Get us some distance between us and that blasted ship. I've prepared a little show for you lot." Barbossa, again, reached forward to touch Ayisha, but then a voice intervened.
"Ye've already stolen my ship. I'll be damned if I let you touch my lass, again."
Ayisha's head perked, attention snapping to the side as Jack pushed his way through a wall of pirates surrounding the crew of the Interceptor. Ayisha couldn't help herself: "Jack!" she shouted in glee, running towards him and latching herself to him, her arms wrapping around his neck and lips pressing against his own.
"All right, that's enough!" Barbossa growled, pulling Ayisha away from Jack, breaking the kiss and embrace. Barbossa pushed Ayisha back to Bo'sun, the large man keeping her still by gripping her upper-arms tightly. "Shoot him!" Barbossa ordered, and almost immediately every crew member of the Pearl pulled out their pistol's and aimed them at Jack.
"No!" Ayisha exclaimed, struggled against Bo'sun, again, her arms growing sore from her trashing. "Don't, please! I'll do anything!"
"Hold your fire!" Barbossa backtracked towards Ayisha, grinning down at her. "Anything, ya say?"
"No-" Jack grunted when the pirate nearest Jack punched him in the gut.
"Now, Jack," Barbossa chuckled, "Ayisha is her own woman – free to do as she wishes – and if she says she will do anything to keep you alive, than who am I to deny a lady her wish? … Put him with the rest! And," Barbossa grinned at Ayisha, sending chills down her spine, "Put her in my personal quarters." The crew of the Pearl openly hooted and haltered at Barbossa's demand.
Ayisha yelped when Bo'sun lifted her off of the ground, as if she was as light as a feather, and she began to struggle all over again. "Jack!" She shouted, being tossed over Bo'sun's shoulder, seeing him fight against the pirates holding him and the rest of the crew. Soon they were out of view when Bo'sun tossed her into a room and closed the door just as she landed painfully on the floor. "Barbossa, you keep your promise, you hear!" Ayisha banged against the door, tears streaming down her cheeks. Sighing, Ayisha rested her forehead against the door and slump her shoulders in defeat. What was it with men and locking her into rooms?
(A/N) Authors Note: I felt like putting something in Elizabeth's POV, even if it's small; and it seems that Elizabeth is jealous that someone, besides her, is getting attention. Will she take it out of context? Or will she know that she will be the only woman who holds Will's heart?
And, oh cheese, Ayisha traded her freedom to save Jack's life! What will happen next? o:
Okay, my lovely readers, I ask if you can please direct your attention to a brand new story that my friend wrote. It is her first fanfiction posted on this site, so, be kind, and take a look - you might even like it! It's a fanfic about the show Ghost Adventures, on Travel Channel. So, if any of you like Zak, the head investigator from the show, go take a look at .S Y N T H E T I Cperfection. 's profile. The link to her account should be on my favorite authors. Please, and thank you :)