Chapter two

"He's chosen her, Estrella. Your daughter is to be wed within the year." The man's deep timber sent a shiver down my spine.

I peeked around the corner and into the kitchen of our small house that we shared with two other families. My mother sat at the small table, her head in her hands, as the man leaned on the small stove. He was frighteningly tall and his golden eyes pierced the air between them. I recognized him from when my mother had spoken to him in the market. I've met him once or twice before but never caught his name.

My mother looked up and over to him. "She's hardly of age," she groaned.

"She'll be nine within the month. Nicolæ has chosen her. This means she's now betrothed to him, she belongs to him."

I seethed. I belonged to no one but myself. And I wasn't betrothed to anyone. I lived my own life and no one but I controlled it.

He chuckled darkly and walked the short distance to her. "Think of it this way, Estrella. You'll be saving dear Esmeralda from the horrible curse placed upon your great-grandmother."

"Her name is Luna, Pali."

He leered at her. "Come now, Estrella, you and I know for a fact that Nicolæ has every right to change her name now that they're betrothed." He shrugged. "Esmeralda isn't very suiting, though. But what would he know? He's barely eleven."

I ran at that moment. I knew this day would come, I just wished it would wait until I was older. It was a long shot, this I knew as well, to see it to at least my tenth birthday as Luna Petulengro.

I tried to sleep, really I did. But no matter how hard I tried the urge never came.

"Luna, my dearest, wake up," my mother sighed as she gently shook me. My eyes were closed but even then I could still tell there was little to no light in the room.

"I'm already awake, mami," I murmured.

She sat me upright and pulled a shawl over me. "You must go, fiică. Mirela is to take you to the docks. A man is waiting for you there, he'll take you to your father but it might be a while before you reach him."

"But tată is asleep in your bed," I argued, not quite understanding.

"No, Luna, your real father," my mother stated seriously, "Marko is just my husband. There isn't time to explain, my love. I've written you and Hector both a letter that will explain everything."

"Can't this wait until the morning?" I questioned.

She looked at me somberly. "No, ficcă, in order to escape this terrible life, you must leave tonight, it is the only way."

She pulled me out of bed and handed me off to Mirela, one of other mothers that lived in our home, but not before she hugged me good-bye. We were ushered out of the tiny house and into and awaiting carriage. The gravity of the situation finally hit me and I screamed for my mother. I was escaping the cruel life of the Romani. I was free to live life the way I wanted. But with a great cost; I was never to see my family or friends again.

I awoke to the sound of chickens. They seemed to be trying to eat me. One even pecked my ear.

I quickly stood and regretted it. My head hurt and my vision spun making me dizzy. I looked around for something familiar and found Mister Turner in a similar predicament. He, too, stood quickly and ran in the direction of the fort. I followed suit.

"That's not good enough!" Will snapped throwing a hatchet at a map placed on a table.

I walked on the small open room with caution; a group of people surrounded the table. Will, Commodore Norrington, and Governor Swann were the only ones I recognized.

Norrington took the axe from the table and walked around to Will's side. He didn't exactly threaten the blacksmith with it, but close enough to put him on edge. Neither man stood down.

"Mr. Turner, you are not a military man, you are not a sailor, you are a blacksmith. You have nothing of value to contribute here. And this is not the time for rash actions."

I had to agree. Rash thinking tends to get one into quite the quandary.

The Commodore put a strong arm around Will and led him towards me. "Do not make the mistake of thinking you are the only man here who cares for Elizabeth."

We made eye contact and he looked shocked. I knew I must have been a strange sight to see. With my midnight black hair (save for the one chunk that framed the left side of my face which in fact was white) braided just past my shoulders in disarray, plus my attire, I must have looked like a mad woman. He shook his head as if to dismiss a thought and glared at Will, pushing him out the door.

Will swiftly walked away immediately. I ran to catch up with him.

"Where are you going?" I asked.

The look he gave me as he took me in was one of pure bewilderment. "Who are you?"

"Pardon my rudeness. I'm Estrella Jones, Miss Swann's governess." I curtsied.

"What do you want?" he asked as he continued on his path.

"To know where you are going."

"Well, if you must know. I am going to convince Jack Sparrow to help me save Elizabeth."

"Commodore Norrington said not to do anything rash," I argued, "It's a terribly bad idea to rescue that man." Plus, he might not take a liking to me if he remembers… That would make for a terribly awkward adventure, and I do plan on going.

"And who are you to say such things?"

I shrugged and picked up a feathered hat and black scarf I found. "Just a woman speaking from experience. Captain Jack Sparrow, as much as I respect him, is not one to get mixed up with."

I tied the scarf around my head, wrapped my braid into a bun and placed the hat on my head.

Nothing else was said between the two of us. I tagged along as he walked down into the jail, sticking to the shadows. The last thing I needed was Jack Sparrow spotting me.

"You. Sparrow," Mister Turner said sharply.

"Aye?"

"Are you familiar with that ship? The Black Pearl?" he interrogated.

The prisoner, who was laying on the floor of the cell, looked to Will and replied; "I've 'eard of it."

I stifled a laugh as I moved back to the stairwell to sit. Not only was Jack Sparrow incarcerated, but he also feigned owning the Pearl? What a joke.

"Where does it make berth?" Will wondered.

"Where does it make berth?" He sounded astonished. "Have you not heard the stories? Captain Barbossa and his crew of miscreants sail from the dreaded Isla de Muerta… It's an island that can't be found, except by those who already know where it is."

Isla de Muerta… So the rumors are true, they did make it.

"The ship's real enough. Therefore, its anchorage must be a real place. Where is it?"

"Why ask me?" Jack questioned.

"Because you're a pirate."

"Oh, yes. Because that's the answer to everything," I mumbled beneath my breath.

"And you yourself want to turn pirate? Is that it?"

"Never," Will growled, rattling the prison bars gently. "…They took Miss Swann."

I knew he loved her.

"Oh, so it is that you've found a girl. Well, if you're intending to brave all, hasten to her rescue and so win fair lady's heart" -I snorted. Typical Jack- "you'll have to do it alone, mate. I see no profit in it for me."

"I can get you out of here," Will said eagerly.

"How's that? The key's run off," Jack retorted.

Will looked around at the iron bars. "I helped build these cells. These are half-pin barrel hinges." He pointed to said hinges as he spoke, before turning to get an upturned bench. "With the right leverage and the proper application of strength," he placed the leg of the bench in the bars, "the door will lift free."

Jack sat up, intrigued. "What's your name?"

"Will turner."

Jack nods. "That would be short for William, I imagine. A good strong name. No doubt named for your father, aye?"

"Yes," Will answered.

And that's when it hit me. Bootstrap. A plan started forming in my head. And with my luck, everything should work out. But first, I needed to get on Jack's good side.

"Uh-huh," was Jack's thoughtful response. "Well, Mr. Turner," he began as he stood, "I've changed me mind. If you spring me from this cell, I swear on pain of death, I shall take you to the Black Pearl and your bonny lass. Do we have an accord?"

I watched as Will hesitantly shook Jack's hand.

"Agreed."

"Agreed. Get me out," Jack urged, waving his hands.

Will removed the door rather loudly. "Hurry. Someone would have heard that."

"Yeah," I spoke while standing up, "The deaf man two ports over." I nearly rolled my eyes at my accent. As soon as we left this Navy infested rock, it was being dropped.

"Not without my effects." Jack ran over to the rack and picked out his things as Will and I headed up.

A/N: as I sit in a smouldering car with my siblings on the way back from Myrtle Beach, SC I am typing this. AHHHHH! I can't wait! For what I don't know. I guess to finish part three of this series. That way I can start with a little more of my own creations before I totally butcher the fourth movie, which I totally plan on doing.

No translations today!

Until Saturday!

Review, Alert, Favorite.*

Lots o' love,
Lyra Raine Sparrow

*not necessarily in that order