Okay People Chapter 2! Big shout out to Clara who really helped me out with Lúcia's name! Being Irish Portuguese does not exactly come naturally to me so she's been a star!
POTC does not belong to me! But some of these characters do.
Here is my imagining of the story of how Jack Sparrow came to be (as it were)
Happy Reading!
As Lúcia's eyes adjusted she began to make out shapes in the gloom. Further down the tunnel she could see a dull light which she guessed was moonlight spilling through from perhaps a grate in the street above. She began to ask Teague where the tunnel led to and nearly jumped out of her skin when he put his hand over her mouth, none too gently, and raised a finger to his lips making a soft shushing noise. Getting the picture she frowned and slowly crept after him as they began to make their way down the hidden passage. At a guess she would say it was leading towards the ocean however is was hard to be certain as her bearings appeared to be a little off underground.
Footsteps grew louder above them and Teague stopped suddenly causing Lúcia to bump into the arm he had held out across the passage way. Biting back a cry of pain she glared at him. Teague however paid her no attention as he silently pulled out a pistol which glinted fearsomely in the dull moonlight. Still as statues they waited until the footsteps passed over them before Teague began once again to lead down the tunnel; Lúcia let out the breath she hadn't realise she had been holding. As her eyes continued to adjust navigating the tunnel became easier. An indeterminate length of time passed as the tunnel grew damper and the noises of the city were left behind them. In fact, she thought to herself, it was almost as if she could hear a soft 'wooshing' noise. More time passed and then finally the opening that indicated the end of the tunnel appeared, distinctively lighter than the darkness she had become accustomed to, though to call it an opening would be generous, it was more like a crevice…
Lúcia's suspicions were confirmed as she emerged, after Teague, from what appeared to be the face of one of the cliffs that flanked the city. Astounded she followed Teague as he navigated his way around a series of rocks and boulders that she supposed was what hid the tunnel entrance from the eyes of those who were not aware of it before they emerged into a narrow cove. As the first signs of dawn began to appear over the ocean she could see a small boat bobbed gently in the waves that lapped up onto the shore. Teague turned to face her.
"Well then love. I'll row you around to a cove where you should be able to get back to the port."
Lúcia stared at him for a moment.
"You mean to send me back?"
"What else is it that you mean to do? Follow me into piracy?"
"Well I can't go back!"
"And why is that?" he growled.
Lúcia fixed him with a glare before answering.
"Firstly I don't expect my uncle will allow me to return now that I've been away all night helping a notorious pirate escape."
"You were planning on telling him about that part?"
"No but I expect the East India Trading Company will. It's not like it will be hard to find me seeing as at least four of them got a good look at my face!"
Teague grimaced as Lúcia continued.
"However as luck would have it I was planning on leaving anyway."
"Is that so? Unfortunately for you I have it on good account that it's terrible bad luck to bring a woman aboard…"
"I saved your life!"
"You were spying on me!"
"I was investigating! And I did save your life; you would have been blown to smithereens like those barrels if I hadn't pulled you down that alley with me!"
They glared at each other stubbornly until Teague huffed.
"Get in the boat…"
Lúcia grinned.
"You'll let me join you?"
"I'll give you passage to anywhere on our route to Singapore."
"Thank you Teague!"
"It's Captain Teague to you and everybody else for that matter. And don't expect to be treated like a high and mighty lady on the voyage! Keep quiet, make yourself useful and don't be a nuisance if you think you can manage that!"
Lúcia chose not to dignify that with an answer and instead swung herself into the boat. Teague glanced heavenward before pushing the boat out to deeper water then settling himself in with the oars and he began to row. Both occupants of the boat resolutely ignored the uncomfortable silence that had descended upon the simple vessel as Teague occupied himself with methodical rowing and Lucia took in the vast ocean that lay before them. As the boat crept round the edge of the cliff she could make out an enormous shadowy shape that was rising and falling with the movement of the ocean in the dawn light. It was, she realized, a boat. No not a boat…
"Your ship?" she asked breaking the silence.
"The Misty Lady" Teague grunted in response.
As they drew closer Lúcia began to make out the details of the ship she was about the board. The wood from which it was made had an unusual, eerie reddish tone to it and worn sails billowed in the sea breeze. As they approached she realised that the bow of the boat was adorned with an intricate figurehead of a mermaid however perhaps the most imposing element of the vessel was the flag that flapped gently upon the mast; black as night and adorned with a skeleton piercing a heart. She suddenly became acutely aware that this was the pirate ship of the most feared pirate of the seven seas and tried desperately to maintain her mask of composure as she attempted to push aside the unwanted, imminent feelings of doubt.
"Last chance to turn back love."
Had he sensed her discomfort? Pulling herself together she turned to face him and asked brazenly "So how do we go about boarding this vessel?"
Teague slowly nodded doubtfully without taking his eyes off her expression. A sudden splash made her jump and she turned quickly to see that a rope ladder had apparently been flung down the side of the hull.
"Ever climbed a Jacob's Ladder Lúcia Maria Catarina de Marques?"
"There is no need for that Captain Teague." Teague grinned at her.
"As you wish. Well then Miss de Marquez have you ever climbed a Jacob's ladder?"
"No. But I'm not afraid" said Lúcia a little too fast.
Teague appraised her for a moment.
"It can be a little slippery. I'll go first on the account that firstly I don't especially feel like being landed on should you fall" he ignored her protestations and continued "and secondly I don't expect you fancy being shot dead the moment you set foot on board which is what I can guarantee will happen if they don't immediately see that you are doing so with the explicit leave of their Captain Teague."
Unable to argue with this logic she allowed Teague to climb over her and begin to ascend the rope ladder. As he neared the top she took a deep breath and began to copy his actions. It was, she admitted to herself, more difficult then she had anticipated. As Teague had warned her, the rope and surface of the ship's hull were indeed somewhat slippery; a fact that was in no way aided by the breeze that caused the rope to rock slightly to the side as she climbed. Teague disappeared over the top and she could just make out the mutterings of men's voices over the sound of the wind and creaking of the rope. She reached the surface of the deck and came face to face with a scarred man who appraised her with a stony expression. Nevertheless he proceeded to assist her safely on board and Lúcia Maria Catarina de Marques found herself standing on the deck of the Misty Lady surrounded by a crew of inquisitive, and somewhat gnarled, pirates. Teague, however, was nowhere to be seen.
"Miss de Marquez is it?"
Unable to speak Lúcia simply nodded. The scarred man turned to address the rest of the crew.
"Right. Listen up you lot! The Cap'n has advised me that he and Miss de Marquez have an accord in which she is to be given free passage as far as India. None of you good for nothin' sea dogs is to harass her lest you wish for a one way voyage to Davy Jones' Locker courtesy of Captain Teague. "
He slowly looked round the faces of the pirates and, apparently satisfied, nodded once.
"Now back to work. All of you!"
The crew slowly dissipated and the man turned back to Lúcia with a disapproving look.
"Right girly you'd best follow me."
Without waiting for her response he marched down the deck of the ship towards the cabins. Hurriedly Lucia followed him trying her best to ignore the curious glances from the other crew members. The man held open a low doorway for her which she quickly ducked through to find herself in a small cabin that appeared to contain several wooden boxes of cargo, chests and a crude hammock. Dull light streamed through the single frosted glass window. The scarred man followed her in and closed the door before turning to evaluate her once more.
"Well isn't this an unusual set of circumstances in which we find ourselves. I think you must realise that Captain Teague isn't renowned for his hospitality and generosity when it comes to the good law abiding people of the official ports…" he paused for a moment as if waiting for enlightenment. When it became apparent that she was not going to answer he continued "however be rest assured that though we be pirates every scunner on this here vessel is a man of honour, or at least not of dishonour. The Captain sees to that as he takes the code very seriously. Indeed upon my word he does."
"What code?"
"You know not of the pirate code? As laid down by Morgan and Bartholomew?"
Lúcia shook her head.
"I didn't know pirates abided by a code…"
"Well now you do. And I suggest that you endeavour to… enlighten yourself. It will assist you on this voyage lass you mark my words. Now despite my own feelings about having a woman aboard the Captain has seen fit to uphold whatever agreement you two have arranged…" he sniffed with apparent displeasure before continuing "you will remain in this cabin whilst we ready to launch as we need to be sailing into open waters before full daybreak. Indeed it is yours for the remainder of your journey. I will be back later with some more acceptable bedding but for the time being I suggest you get some rest."
He gestured to the hammock then turned to leave. As he opened the door Lúcia forced herself to ask "might I ask you your name Sir?" He looked over his shoulder at her with an expression of reluctant amusement.
"I think you can be doing away with all the 'Sirs' and the like; you surely won't find any man who welcomes the title on this ship. I answer to McGregor on account of Jonathan being a little too grand for my purposes. Ask any soul between here and India about First Mate McGregor and they will know of him; that I can promise you Miss de Marquez." With that McGregor turned and made his way back onto deck where he proceeded to holler orders at the crew, his bellowing muffled by the closing of the heavy door.
Lúcia sank onto one of the wooden chests as a sudden wave of exhaustion overwhelmed her. Upon reflection she realised that she hadn't slept a wink since the previous night, she always had been an early riser and clearly the drama of the past twenty four hours was beginning to take its toll. Lucia clambered into the hammock and closed her eyes, it was surprisingly comfortable. Still, she considered, never in her wildest dreams had she thought that the day would end with her sailing to a foreign world on the pirate ship of the most fearsome Captain of the high seas!
Fearsome. Now that was an interesting point. She couldn't help but shake the feeling that something wasn't quite… right. The Captain Teague of the stories she had before heard had been described as ruthless, unforgiving, immoral, cruel and even wicked; sailors would swear blind that he was a debauched criminal who took all he could and left no survivors…
It struck her then. No survivors? A man like that would surely never have let the wretched Mister Culver live after his betrayal and the two officers of the East India Trading Company had clearly meant to kill Teague first. Though thinking back Teague hadn't exactly killed them either! No, she remembered, he had floored them with a knock from the hilt of his sword when he could just as easily have run them through with the other end of that very same weapon. And what of herself? The infamous Captain Teague of legend would not have allowed eavesdropping to go unpunished much less helped her escape the wrath of the officials and her uncle by allowing her free and undisturbed passage aboard his ship even if he felt he owed her a debt.
It was almost as if he were… honourable. Devious, wild and imposing yes and the man was clearly a pirate to his boots, with all the traits that accompanied that title, but not the murderous brute of legend. Feeling a little safer she allowed that final thought to sink in as darkness and fatigue consumed her.
First Mate McGregor entered the Captain's cabin to find Teague leaning over the charts of Africa and her surrounding oceans that were laid out across his desk. To the untrained eye he was methodically plotting out coordinates and routes however after years of camaraderie McGregor had honed the ability to detect the subtle tells that suggested Captain Teague was fixated upon or agitated by something; the slight crease in his brow, the way his eyes narrowed and the weight of his hand upon the charts. Not to mention the open bottle of rum on the desk. McGregor coughed then, when Teague did not verbally respond, began his report.
"She's ready to sail Cap'n. Bearing due south if I have your leave to cast off?"
Teague grunted in response. Ascertaining that permission had indeed been granted McGregor made for the door. He had hoped to pry some information out of Teague regarding the young woman he had brought aboard. Truth be told the curiosity was gnawing away at him; never in the history of his service with Teague had he allowed a woman, at least of the non-pirating variety, aboard his ship. Even the wenches of the ports they frequented were not permitted to board the Misty Lady with Teague instead choosing to enter the town, though he tended to retain a low profile when doing so. No, thought McGregor, something significant had happened and he was going to keep a weather eye open for any indication as to what that might have been.
The cabin door closed and Teague settled into the intricately carved wooden chair he had 'liberated' from the Spanish court. He took a swig of rum then slowly swilled the bottle around as his other hand tapped the table; the daylight was dulled by the stained windows so the exotic rings on his fingers and the glass rum bottle glinted in the light of the candle that was alight atop his desk.
Captain Edward Teague silently prided himself on his objectivity. He was astute and intelligent enough to realize that sentiment was not constructive to successful leadership. Having been born and raised in piracy Teague had sworn at a young age that he would be the most efficacious and revered pirate to sail the seas of the ever growing known world however piracy by its very nature was treacherous, mutinous and above all dangerous. Teague had combatted this by maintaining a certain level of personal objectivity in regards to his craft so that his judgement not be clouded and above all respected the code that dictated and maintained the honour of piracy. This combination had resulted in his position as the most feared and respected pirate currently on the account with a measure of unquestionable command that no other pirate captain had achieved before.
So why, he thought as he slowly drank another mouthful of rum, was there currently a young woman in the storage cabin of his ship? She would serve absolutely no purpose on board and indeed could even be an unwelcome distraction to his wench-starved crew! He was, he concluded, simply repaying a debt upon his honour as a code abiding pirate, he allowed himself a smirk as the irony of that thought sunk in. Still, he grudgingly admitted to himself, there was something about this Lúcia Maria Catarina de Marques that was mildly stirring his curiosity. He'd had more than enough experience of the feminine form to know that she was truly attractive; in an unconventional way admittedly but then he always had been drawn to the remarkable…
He shook his head and took another chug of rum before corking the bottle and preparing to move out onto the deck. Clearly he needed the fresh air to clear his thoughts. As far as he was concerned the sooner Miss de Marquez left The Misty Lady the better!
As always let me know what you think! This story is for your enjoyment as well as my own so feedback is always appreciated.