Chapter 14: A Pirate's Life for Me
Clang-clang!
Kashiiing!
Clang-clang-clang!
"Oy! Watch it!"
Joshamee Gibbs grinned as he looked over the railing of the quarter deck and onto the main deck below, where two people were duelling.
One was a man with long dreadlocks held back by a red bandanna. He wore a white shirt, blue vest, and pants, and a red and white sash around his waist, held tight by many belts. The man's dark bearded face was split in a massive smirk, and his brown eyes twinkled with amused fondness as he disarmed the young woman before him and picked up her fallen sword for her to take again.
She was only a little shorter than the man, with long copper red curls tied in a long, messy fishtail braid while the top of her head was covered by a cerulean bandanna paired with a matching-coloured sash she had tied around her waist. She wore dark brown men's pants and boots and had a white man's shirt with sleeves rolled up to her elbows. Around her right wrist, she wore a leather cuff bracelet adorned with tiny beads of coloured glass and pendants made from bones and minuscule sea shells. Around her waist, over her sash, were fastened a pair of thick leather belts, one equipped with a gun holster in which a small flintlock pistol was safely stowed.
A pair of grey-blue eyes glowered up at the man that had disarmed her, one hand holding up a severed tie that had once kept the front of her shirt closed but now exposed her ample freckled cleavage.
"Seriously, Jack?! This is my favourite shirt!" Peggy Blake snapped as she looked down at her exposed chest, over which an oval-shaped silver and abalone shell locket hung from a silver chain around her neck.
Even from where Gibbs stood high alongside Marty and Cotton, he could see the spark in Jack Sparrow's eyes as he kicked his protégé's sword back to her across the deck.
"Sorry, love, but you need to work on your defence. Now, come on! Try that move again! Who knows, maybe your lovely breasts might distract me enough for you to land another hit!"
"If my cleavage is enough to distract you from a fight, then you really must be losing your touch." Peggy rolled her eyes as the crew chuckled at her expense.
However, the laughter was not cruel or malicious. Indeed, the eyes that tracked the pair in their sparring session across the deck were just as fond as Gibbs's.
"Come on, pay up!" the old sailor held out his palm to the short form of Marty, seated up on the rails and cleaning his grubby nails with the tip of a small knife.
"She's still too hesitant," Marty grumbled as he paused to fish in his pocket for a shilling and slop it into Gibbs's hand with a bitter scowl. "If she wants to land the hit, she shouldn't hold back."
Cotton silently grimaced in disagreement as his parrot Paulie squawked loudly from his shoulder:
"Dead man, tell no tales!"
"Cotton's right, Marty," Gibbs took a swig from his leather hipflask of rum. "You've seen the girl throw a punch. Even if she can't beat Jack, I'd hate to be on the end of her sword."
"I doubt that'll ever happen," Marty muttered quietly, sheathing his knife in his belt. "The girl's many things' Gibbs, a killer ain't one of them."
There were many hums and nods of agreement from the men, and Gibbs sighed. Marty was right, of course. Neither Peggy nor Jack were violent people by nature despite their prowess for the sword. It made them rather odd amongst most pirates, who often prided themselves on their various kills and had a taste for blood.
Then again, Peggy had spent much of her life amongst more "civilised" people. Gibbs doubted that even the six and a half short months she had spent on the Pearl could completely wipe the innocence that remained.
Secretly, like his Captain, Gibbs wished she would never lose it. It was what made her a breath of fresh air amongst a sea of cutthroats and marauders. However, it left her vulnerable to other, more insidious threats.
Another clang of swords, a thud and another curse drew Gibbs's attention back to the duelling pair in time to see Peggy stumble and land hard on her behind to the ground.
"What's the matter with you, Pegsy?" Jack frowned at his protégé as he pointed at her with his sword. "You're all left feet today."
"No, I'm not!" Peggy pouted, cheeks flushing with embarrassment.
"Love, that's the fourth time in a row you've messed up yer footwork, even after I gave you a clear opening." Jack rolled his eyes. "You're not this clumsy even when you're three sheets to the wind!"
"Hmmph! I'm fine, Jack. I'm probably just havin' a bad day today, that's all. You know how it is." She shrugged, but everyone saw she was awkwardly avoiding Jack's eye. "Come on! One more round. I'm sure I'll get it right."
"Fine. One round. Then we're done for today."
"But Jack-"
"Nah love, ain't no point wavin' that sword around if yer head's not in the game. Besides, all this sparring has gotten me rather peckish, so finish this last round and get me lunch, will ye? There's a good lass."
"Fine. As you wish, Captain." Peggy spat out the title like an offensive slur, but to Jack's credit, he barely commented.
Most men would have assumed it was because he was trying to show off his maturity in front of the crew, but Gibbs knew it was mainly because the man was too busy trying to suss out what was bothering his young cabin girl so much.
Gibbs could not help but share in his concern. The girl was unusually off-kilter today. Yes, she could still beat most of the crew to their knees, but for her to mess up this much in her sparring sessions with the captain…something was troubling her badly.
Can't it be that Turner boy? Can it? Gibbs couldn't help but wonder, taking another swig of his rum flask to dull the simmering anger that welled in his gut from the mere thought of the lad.
The poor girl had been in a dismal state after being ditched by that foolish lad.
Sometimes, the crew caught her shedding a tear when she was alone in the galley prepping Jack's meals. She would always try to hide the evidence, but everyone knew. Some nights, Gibbs and Jack could have sworn they heard her crying herself to sleep. There had been a couple of months where the mere mention of "William" or "Elizabeth" would raise her hackles and shorten the fuse of her hot temper; however, in the last month, Peggy seemed to have reverted to sadness. Unlike before, it was more a bittersweet acceptance and resignation than hurt feelings, though those were still there.
The gall of that boy, Gibbs thought bitterly.
He had a beautiful, strong and loyal Selkie lass who had put her life and existence on the line for him, and then he went and broke her heart without even a second thought.
Now Gibbs knew that Elizabeth was a fine young lady in her own right. After all, it took her guts to survive Barbossa's kidnapping and save the crew of the Black Pearl from the brig on her own without any backup.
But apart from the difference in social status, what did Elizabeth have that Peggy did not share in equal measure? Both were beautiful, smart and capable young women.
Well, whatever his choice was, Gibbs could not help but be disappointed in William Turner. One had to be a certain level of stupid or blind (or perhaps both) not to have been able to see how much Peggy had loved him.
Even Jack had developed a resentment against the lad, to the point that even mentioning his name in passing soured his mood, and that was saying something as Jack rarely held grudges despite his double-crossing, tricky nature. Then again, hurting Peggy was a surefire way to get a black mark on your record with Jack, and Will Turner had screwed the pooch big time on that one.
As expected, it did not take long for the sparring match to end. Peggy's mind was too distracted to keep to her target, and Jack was bored of winning.
And so, with a grimace, Gibbs watched the young selkie stomp below deck and out of sight, much to the dismay of several crew members who had placed bets in her favour.
"Bloody Jack! Cutting training short just because I'm dropping the ball a bit!" Peggy growled as she thudded down the stairs toward Pearl's tiny kitchen, where two cooks were stationed. One was a middle-aged skinny man with an eyepatch over one eye stirring a pot of the hot midday meal, while the other, a portly man with a peg leg, peeled an apple for himself at a small table.
"Hey, lass. Lunch for ye and the Cap'in?!" the man at the stove called, and Peggy nodded.
"Yes, Dewey. Lunch for me and the Captain." Peggy grunted, then quickly coughed and added, "Thank you. Smells good."
"Aye, them fish ye rounded up this mornin' were just the ticket." Dewey smiled happily, and despite her sour mood, Peggy smiled and blushed at the praise as she helped the man assemble a tray with food for herself and Jack.
One of the perks of pirate life with Jack was that she no longer had to hide her selkie heritage, at least when they were out in the open ocean away from civilisation. Indeed, Peggy often swam out in seal form to help the sailors corral fresh fish like a herding dog into their nets. Occasionally, she snagged a couple of live ones in her mouth if she ever felt peckish, but she mostly enjoyed swimming in the water without a care. It was easy to forget about her earthly troubles when she saw the sparkling fish scales dancing past her eye or the sensation of the current smoothly gliding over her fur.
That morning had been an outstanding haul. Then again, the fishing grounds close to Tortuga had always been prosperous. Sailors used to say that the pirate port and the waters around it were abundant because the ocean was fond of her scallywags and rascals. Peggy did not know if the legend was true but had to admit that despite their lawless ways, most of the pirates of Tortuga were more respectful of the ocean than most civilised people she had met.
Tortuga.
Despite her love of the sea, Peggy was looking forward to a day of shore leave. The wild and lawless harbour of Tortuga had grown on her in the last few months, maybe because she knew she had limited time to see it.
She forced a smile of gratitude on her face for Dewey as she hauled herself and her laden food tray back up through the ship, doing her best to ignore the familiar, almost painful tingling in her right wrist.
A month and a half left. That was all she had. One and a half months left of freedom, of life, and then the Devil would come for her. Then Jack would know what a traitor she was.
Her heart ached at the thought.
As cowardly as it was, she was glad the Devil had ordered her not to speak to anyone about their deal. Even if she had the freedom to tell her captain, she did not think she would be able to, nor would she want to.
She had already disappointed William so much that she could not bear to think of Jack tossing her to the side, even if he would be well within his rights to.
Not even Jack could blame her if he knew her life was on the line. He would understand…wouldn't he?
Still…there was a small part of her that wished she could tell someone if only to get it off her chest for once.
"You're doin' it again, love." Jack's voice cut through her thoughts as she laid the food on his private dining table in his quarters.
"Hmm?"
"You're goin' far away in that head of yours again."
"Sorry, Jack. Just tired, I guess." Peggy sighed, cursing herself mentally. She had to stop getting lost in her thoughts so often. It was becoming a bad habit.
"Nah, love that ain't it. You ain't tired. If you were, you'd be far more cranky." Jack shook his head as he reached out to take the mug of ale from the tray and guzzle half it down in one gulp. "Such a far-off gaze. Where do you go off to, I wonder?"
"Many places." Peggy snorted. "Probably too many." She admitted softly as she sat beside him, though she kept her eyes on her food. "We're making good time on Tortuga?"
"Aye, we're making good time. Should be there just before sundown." Jack grunted through a mouthful of bread and stew.
"Do you have any plans for the evening, or are you just going to enjoy your usual time with one of ol' Lucinda's girls?" Peggy mumbled.
"Maybe if I've got the time." Jack took another swig of ale. "Labelle wants a word first. One of her – " Jack paused to belch softly " 'scuse me – one of her little birdies at that last port tol' me she will be waitin' at Twelve Daggers."
"That was over a week ago." Peggy frowned, curiosity winning over her mood. "Why has she stayed on land so long?"
"Dunno? But rumour has it the Painted Lady got into a scrap with the East India Trading Company. She was practically limping to port after the battle or so they say. May take a while till she's back out on the water."
Peggy whistled softly. The Painted Lady may not have been as fast as the Black Pearl, but she was mighty in battle, and her Captain, Jacqueline Labelle, was no pushover.
"That's the fifth heavy hitter the Company has gone after in the last two months." Peggy bristled in her spot. "And the third one that belongs to the Brethren Court. I know the Company has always been against piracy, but how they're cracking down…just who or what kicked the hornet nest?"
"Who knows love?" Jack grimaced as he shovelled some fish into his mouth. "But that's not why Labelle is callin' on us."
"So she found it then?" Peggy quirked a brow at her captain. "That information you asked her for last time…has she found it?"
"Again, who knows?" Jack shrugged. "She said she has somethin'. If that somethin' happens to be useful, we'll have to wait and see."
"Y'know you still haven't told me what we're searching for." Peggy pouted as she tore off a chunk of bread with her teeth. "I mean, we've been sailing around for an entire month and barely raided any ships or plundered any horde. The crew are starting to get suspicious."
"No mutterings of mutiny are there?" Jack chuckled, but Peggy could see how his ringed fingers flexed and clenched around his spoon.
"No. No mutiny." Peggy muttered. "Just a lot of griping and confusion. Still, it'd ease a lot of tension if you just told someone, even Gibbs, what we're sailin' around for. Then, at least, he can put the crew's mind at ease."
"Oh, you think I can't keep peace on my ship?" Jack rolled his eyes, and Peggy sighed.
"No, but if Gibbs gets worried, the crew tends to get worried. If he's calm and trusting you, the crew will follow suit. He's as good as a canary in the mine, and you'd be a fool not to use him to your advantage."
"Sings like a canary, too, with enough grog in 'im." Jack snorted, but Peggy was relieved that the man's shoulders had relaxed somewhat. "But no love, I can't tell Gibbs or you what I'm lookin' for."
"And why not?"
"Because…" Jack smacked his lips. "Because I dunno what I'm searching for in the first place."
"…what?" Peggy blinked.
"I mean, I have a rough idea of what I am looking for," Jack raised a placating hand to silence her before she could open her mouth. "But I don't know if it exists."
"And you don't want to get anyone's hopes up if you don't find proof of its existence?" Peggy frowned in bafflement. "So what? You're hoping Labelle can help you prove this mystery you're looking for exists?"
"Pretty much," Jack nodded briskly. "No point goin' after a treasure if it's not even real. Think of all the rum I'd waste in the search."
"Oh yes, think of the poor rum." Peggy deadpanned with a shake of the head. "So…if this thing does exist…how long do you think it will take to find it?"
"Dunno." Jack pursed his lips. "But not long, I don't think, if all goes well and according to plan." He paused to look his cabin girl up and down.
"What? Do I have some stew on my face?" Peggy frowned halfway through a mouthful of food.
Jack stared at her blankly, his brown eyes, usually full of joy, now shrewd. His gaze drifted over her braided curls, her face, and then down to her cuffed bracelet.
Then he suddenly shook his head.
"Nah! Nothin' love, just thinkin' is all. Oh yes, that's right. That little birdie also said to make sure ye cover up that hair o' yers before we meet Labelle."
"My hair? Why the hell do I have to cover MY hair? And what do you mean by when 'we' go to meet Labelle? She's your sister." Peggy grumbled in annoyance.
"So she says." Jack corrected her with a roll of his eyes. "God knows if she is one of my dad's kids. God knows many little bastards he's left runnin' around in his wake."
"Hark who's talking?" Peggy snorted, giggling into her bowl of stew as she earned herself a familiar but small cuff on the back of the head.
"Cheeky brat!" Jack muttered, though the minor upward quirk of his lips betrayed his amusement, "But jokes aside, love, yes. We are going to meet Labelle together. She asked for ye specifically. An' before you ask, no, I don't know why, but she said it 'twas important."
Rat-tat-tat!
"Come in!" Jack called, and the door to his quarters opened to reveal Gibbs holding a sheet of paper.
"Sorry, Captain, I just wanted a quick word while you've got a moment!"
"Sure thing mate, just gimme a second!" Jack nodded to his first mate as he stood up. Peggy then noticed that he had managed to finish most of his food. Good, she had been worried he had been skipping out on his meals.
"Keep an orange aside for me, love. I'll be back in a tick! 'n try not to get lost in yer head again. I need ye to keep a sharp eye aye?" Jack patted her on top of the head.
"Aye, captain." Peggy nodded as she shovelled another spoonful of fish stew into her mouth, wincing as she felt her right wrist tingle painfully beneath the cuff. She was so distracted she had not noticed her captain and the first mate's sympathetic gaze rest for a short pause on her hunched shoulders before they closed the doors.
Once she heard the door shut, she quietly undid the leather ties holding the cuff in place, looking down at the patch of skin it had hidden.
The black mark of the devil glared out at her. It was a black ring surrounded by small roots of ink that stained her blood vessels and irritated the skin around it, making it throb an angry red colour. The pain and prickling sensations had been getting steadily worse the closer her deadline approached, but Peggy did not know what else to do but cover it up.
Just a few weeks. She thought glumly.
A few weeks…and then her time was up.
The man watched from the shadows of an alleyway beside a dockside tavern as the black ship with black sails slid into its place at the dock. Its crew threw down thick ropes for the dockworkers to tie it to the correct mooring while others prepped the gangplank.
Finally, after weeks of waiting and near misses the Black Pearl had pulled into Tortuga.
The man had to admit, it was a sight to behold. Compared to the brightly coloured green and white hull of the Snapdragon moored at the neighbouring pier, the Black Pearl cut a surprisingly intimidating figure even for a pirate ship.
The entire vessel's wooden hull and mast were a dark, sooty black, and even the masts and rigging had been painted to match. The figurehead of a half-naked woman with a sea-raven was very distinctive and elegant, but her eyes were oddly haunting as if she were watching everyone who came under her gaze.
The man wished he could say the ship's crew was ferocious enough to match. A pair of light green eyes narrowed with disgust as the dreadlocked and bearded figure of Jack Sparrow sauntered jauntily down the gangplank and onto the pier, followed closely by a man with a greying mutton-chop beard. From the relaxed way the men spoke, it was clear the captain was only delivering orders to his first mate, which was hardly worth listening to.
No, the man had more important things to look for now.
A flash of blue hit his eyes, and the man's eyes swivelled back up Pearl's gangplank, where a slender figure garbed in a long dark brown coat was clambering down with the grace of a cat. Their hair was covered entirely in a cerulean-blue headscarf, but the man could see from the fact that the face was too round and soft-featured to be a man. That left two options: this was one of the tallest, most baby-faced lads he had ever seen, or more likely, it was a young woman of average height trying her best and failing to keep cover as a boy.
The latter was proven as she and Jack Sparrow began walking together side-by-side down the pier in the strange man's direction, and he caught a glimpse of her slender form beneath the jacket before she could fold her arms to hide it. No…there was no way any lad would have curves like that.
This must be her, then. Peggy Blake. The man in the shadows mused as the woman and Captain Sparrow passed his hiding spot, speaking softly to one another in hushed tones.
"The Twelve Daggers isn't Labelle's usual haunt. I thought she preferred Coopers." Peggy Blake grimaced as she gingerly sidestepped a pile of horse manure piled on the road.
"Must be recruitin' a new crew." Jack Sparrow grimaced in disgust at the smell of the filth behind them. "Coopers might be cosier, but the Daggers is a better huntin' ground if yer' lookin' for a sturdy crew. With the way they EITC blokes are prowlin' around, she's gonna need tougher men."
"From the looks of things, the Painted Lady isn't the only one that needs toughening up." Peggy pointed at a couple of the other ships docked alongside the Pearl. Several of them were in various states of disrepair, and one of them, a vessel with a dark navy-blue hull with white stripes, looked almost like it was falling apart at the seams and ready to sink right then and there.
"Blimey." Jack Sparrow whistled in awe at the damage. "I ain't seen the Bluebird that roughed up since Mad Bart was captain. Now, there was a crazy kook if ever I saw one."
"What happened?" Peggy asked curiously.
"Mad Bart nearly got caught in the Devil's Triangle chasin' some hallucination. The man drank so much that he often shot at things no one else could see, spoke to walls or went chasin' after treasures no one else had heard about because he thought he'd imagined them in his head. Honestly, it was probably a kindness that his First Mate shot him and took control before they crashed into the Triangle, or else he'd have dragged everyone to their deaths. He practically had rum and whisky flowin' through his veins by the end."
"Yikes. Poor bloke," Peggy grimaced sympathetically but then quickly shrugged. "Well, I guess there are worse reasons to commit murder, I suppose. Speaking of murder, I would kill for some food right now." She added in a grumble, and Jack chuckled.
"You said it love. God, I hope Anna's got some of 'em meat pies set aside 'cause I can kill for some beef!" Jack Sparrow groaned as he cricked his neck to the side. "I dunno how you survive off 'em raw fish all the time. Ain't it slimy?"
"It's not too bad once you get used to it. But yes, I know what you mean. A hot mince pie sounds good." Peggy Blake laughed.
The man in the shadow's eyebrows rose.
He had been expecting a rough, loud, coarse accent, much like the rest of the pirates and wenches of Tortuga. However, Peggy Blake's voice was a lot more melodious, smooth and genteel, almost as if she had been raised with a soft and elegant Southern English accent coloured with a little West Country twang she must have absorbed over the years from her rough surroundings.
The man in the shadows felt his heart skip a beat as he caught sight of a short stray curl of fiery red hair that had escaped her head wrappings to dangle by her freckled cheek.
There it was, just like his boss had said. Red curls as bright as copper, flames and freckles over her cheeks. Now that the man thought about it, she was rather pretty. With a nice dress and better grooming, she'd make a fine noblewoman's wife.
He quickly shrank back into the shadows as she turned to look in his direction. She felt his insides almost flip as he caught sight of her eyes. They were both light blue-grey and sharp as swords.
The man in the shadows had only ever seen one person with eyes like that.
Yes, this had to be her. With those eyes and that hair, there was no doubt in his mind about who this woman was.
The strange shadow smiled.
If everything went as planned tonight, his boss would be very pleased.
"By Poseidon, I swear I'll go deaf in here!"
"WHAT LOVE?"
"I SAID I'LL GO DEA-YOU KNOW WHAT BUGGER THIS. LET'S JUST FIND ANNA!"
The Twelve Daggers were one of the oldest establishments in the pirate port of Tortuga and perhaps one of the most dangerous, but Peggy knew that so long as she stuck close to Jack, no one would bother her.
And stick close to him, she would because tonight seemed to be incredibly violent and loud.
Peggy had never seen so many pirates packed into one space in all her years. She felt like a fish trying to squeeze through a shoal of tightly packed sardines.
She supposed that with all the battered ships in port, many pirates had piled into Tortuga to rest and recuperate. However, that also meant many establishments were nearly full to bursting with life. How Labelle expected to hold a private meeting here, of all places, was beyond Peggy's reckoning.
She was glad when she spotted Annamaria's face behind the bar, shouting at a patron trying to steal a drink from the counter without paying for it.
The ex-smuggler had left the crew of the Black Pearl two months ago after her grandmother passed away to help her older brother manage the bar while his wife was pregnant and so far seemed to be managing well. Despite her love for the water and sailing, Annamaria had always been a sharp businesswoman at heart. Peggy was impressed by her skill in running the rowdy and popular establishment. She did not take any crap from any of her patrons and had kept the quality of service high, what with the backroom deals she had made with certain brothels and local ship captains in the area.
She greeted Peggy with a firm and bracing hug as she and Jack wove through the crowd to greet her at the bar.
"Labelle is waiting for you in the dining room." She called over the hubbub, gesturing to one of her cousins to take over handling the bar as she stepped out from behind it. "This way!"
"I see business is booming," Peggy shouted as she and Jack were led to a nearby door off the main tavern floor and into a small corridor.
"You can thank the East India Company for that!" Anna spat as she shut the door behind them, so the shouts and music became much more muted. "I don't know what has crawled up their powdered knickers, but in the time you've been gone, they've been hammering down hard on everyone. My father says he hasn't seen them this active since the Selkie Purge years ago."
Peggy did her best to repress a shiver.
For the past few months, she had managed to keep her selkie heritage under wraps. Jack had made it clear to the crew that if anyone spilled the beans on her, they would get shot or cursed by her 'selkie' magic. So far, the threat seemed to have worked with the men, their fear of superstitions overpowering their usual love of gold and power. Still, there was always a chance someone might have spilled the beans on someone else; she just hoped that no one took their words seriously and thought it all was a joke.
"Any idea why they're so active?" Peggy wondered aloud, but Anna just shrugged.
"Honestly, it beats me. All I know is that they've got a new head honcho, and he does not like pirates."
"Since when have they ever?" Jack joked, but Peggy saw his grave eyes even as they were led towards a door to the right.
"She's in here. I'll send down some pies in half an hour with some rum."
"You're a real gem, love." Jack sighed in relief as he opened the door and stepped through.
"Thanks, Anna!" Peggy smiled and followed her captain inside.
The parlour of the Twelve Daggers was small but cozy. It had a few armchairs around a small wooden table and a large lit hearth that took up most of the wall and kept the place nice and toasty.
On one of the chairs facing the door, a woman lounged languidly. She was a very curvy and tall woman, taller than Jack even, and he was not a short man. That was without the addition of the feathered tricorn hat she had kept on a small side table.
She wore a black man's shirt with the front untied to reveal a buxom bosom, which was only accentuated by the brown leather corset fastened around her waist. Her long legs and round hips were garbed in well-fitted black pants, which were finished with a nice pair of black buckled boots. Around her waist, she wore a yellow sash in which the handle of a pistol jutted out, along with the hilts of a dagger and a sword.
Like Jack, she had dark, dreadlocked, and braided hair, though hers was slightly cleaner and gathered in a high ponytail behind her head to keep it out of her face. Her skin was the colour of burnt caramel, and she had many studs and hoops of gold adorning her ears and a golden nose ring to match.
However, her most distinctive feature was her eyes, which were the same shade and shape as Jack's and lined with black kohl, just like his.
"Ah, Little Jackie-boy! You finally made it! I was wondering if you'd ever show." Jacqueline Labelle's voice was deep and rich, like the gentle purr of a cat.
"Jacqueline, always a pleasure," Jack grunted, unusually stiff and awkward, as the woman squeezed his cheeks with a dark, well-manicured hand heavily adorned with many jewelled rings.
"Ugh! Such a cold greeting for your beloved sister! Thank goodness our old man isn't here to see you behave so poorly. He'd have your head."
"You'd like that, wouldn't you?" Jack grumbled with a roll of his eyes as he looked around the room. "Where's young Jimmy-lad? I was gonna tell him all about the raid of the Damocles!"
"Oh, my darling Jimmy is back on the ship scrubbing pots and pans with old Doppler!"
"Scrubbing pots 'n pans ey?" Jack frowned oh-so-dramatically. "And pray to tell, my dear sister, why my favourite nephew is getting punished by such a boring job?"
"Because he thought it would be a good idea to taste test a few of my best bottles of rum from my private collection. And you, of all people, know what happens to those who take from my collection." Labelle turned her attention to Peggy, whom she hugged and kissed on both cheeks.
"Ahh! Darling Peggy, how are you, my dear? Has Jackie-boy been treating you well, or has he been getting you into nasty trouble?"
"No, Jack and I are fine. We've been pretty trouble-free for the past few weeks. Honestly, it's kinda weird," Peggy assured the older woman, returning the greeting in kind and flushing pink as she felt herself getting a once over. "Can't say the same for everyone else at Port, though."
"Ah yes, you saw that, huh? Yes, many pirates are feeling the sting right now. Though I must say, the Pearl looks as gorgeous as ever." Labelle's brown eyes hardened as she gestured for Jack and Peggy to join her in taking a seat. "Here, some ale to start us off. Don't worry, Jackie, I'll order some rum later." She assured her younger brother as he scowled in annoyance at the lack of his favourite beverage, "But there's a lot we need to cover tonight, and I need you both nice and sharp."
Peggy and Jack glanced worriedly at one another as they received a pint of ale from their host, who raised it in a small toast.
Once they were finished taking a swig, Labelle leaned back in her chair and sighed.
"Alright, let's start the evening with some good news then, shall we? Jackie, you'll be very pleased to note that the artefact you've been searching for does exist."
"Ah, I thought so." Jack grinned, his eyes lighting up like a child at Christmas.
"Only problem is, is that barely anyone knows what the damn thing looks like or where it is."
"But there is someone who knows." Jack quirked a brow as he took a sip of ale. "Or else you wouldn't have waited so long for me to come and hear you out ey?"
"Aye, that's right," Labelle smirked in amusement at her younger brother's enthusiasm. "The problem is that the man you're looking for…well, he is dead."
"Okay…" Peggy frowned as Jack's face fell like a stone. "So…how does that help Jack exactly?"
"Patience, my dear, I'm getting there." Labelle cautioned her playfully, though the sharp gleam in her eye made Peggy shut her mouth like a clam. It was almost like being on the receiving end of one of Jack's stern orders. "As I was saying, the man is dead. He died in an island prison off the coast of Hispaniola. It's a nasty place, the kind where they throw away the key once you're behind cell doors. Currently under the jurisdiction of the Turks, funnily enough, though neither the British nor the Spanish are doing anything about it, though that may be because it's riddled with disease and death." she paused to take a swig of ale. "However, rumour has it that your man stowed his journal in his cell, and in that journal is a drawing of the artefact. A very accurate one if it is to be believed."
"And who is this very helpful man we must thank for accurately documenting this artefact?" Jack prompted irritably, his entire body almost on the edge of his seat with eagerness.
"Why, who else but Percival Stafford-"
"Old Silverbeard?" Peggy's eyes widened in shock. "The Sage of the First Brethren Court?"
"Aye, that's right, dear." Labelle smiled at Peggy before turning to Jack. "I see you've been educating this one very seriously."
"Indeed, I have," Jack smirked, but it fell short as he glanced at his cabin girl suspiciously. "Though, I admit I hadn't gotten as far as old Silverbeard yet. How do you know about that love?"
"Hector told me."
"Barbossa?" Labelle frowned, and Peggy nodded.
"Yes, the day before he died."
Peggy gulped down the small but hard lump in her throat as she reached under her coat for the small satchel she had stowed and pulled out a faded blue book with the title 'Tales of the Deep: A Compendium of Sea Myths, Legends, and Lore Through the Ages. By Percival Stafford'.
Upon seeing the book, Labelle and Jack's eyes widened like saucers.
"Where did you get that?" Jack murmured in near awe.
"In Port Royal. I found it lying on the docks a couple of years ago. I thought I lost it when Hector took me and Will hostage, but it turns out he kept it on the Pearl in my nook." Peggy frowned at the two older pirates. "Alright! Spill! What the hell is with this book? Seriously, Hector had the same reaction as you when he saw it, so clearly, it's something important."
"Well, Peggy Dear, Silverbeard is not exactly a well-published author, as you know." Labelle coughed as she leaned back in her chair, her eyes warily watching the book as if it were a bomb about to explode. "Indeed, many in the court sought to keep his knowledge as secret as possible."
"But why?"
"Because love, he knew too many things for his own good." Jack grimaced, taking a sip of ale to take the edge off his shock. "If people knew what he knew about the ocean's secrets, then they wouldn't be secret, nor would they be safe from those who want to steal them for themselves, ey?"
"So it was to keep the ocean safe?" Peggy muttered
"Exactly," Labelle nodded grimly. "That's why years ago, the Brethren Court ordered any copy of the Tales of the Deep to be destroyed on sight. Now, the only copy they keep is for preservation alongside the Pirate Codex. Or so we thought." Labelle sighed. "Indeed, there were rumours that three copies of the books had slipped through the cracks."
"You're sure about this?" Jack narrowed his eyes at his sister suspiciously. "Really sure?"
"Aye, I'm sure."
"How?"
"Because our dad was sent to retrieve and destroy the copies," Labelle grunted. "However, he only found two of three. The third, he never found."
"Why was he looking for them?" Peggy tilted her head and felt her gut sink as Labelle looked her up and down with a piercing gaze. "…no…you don't mean…"
"I'm sorry, dear." Labelle grimaced with sympathy. "But yes, the EITC was using the knowledge of Silverbeard to hunt down your kind. Indeed, it was said his grandmother was of selkie blood herself, hence why he was chosen to broker peace between humans and selkies. As a child of the land and the ocean, his word held a lot of weight. And if anyone knew how to locate and hunt Selkies down, it would be one of their own."
"So that's why…" Peggy's face paled to the colour of chalk as she frantically opened the book to the index and scrolled down. "Just, wait a moment." She quickly skimmed through the pages in a desperate search for the spot. "There! See. The section for Selkies."
She opened the book and flattened it on the centre table for Jack and Labelle. She pointed to the centre between the pages. Labelle and Jack both leaned forward even more. There, barely visible against the spine, were long strips of paper, neatly ripped so close to the spine they were barely visible from a distance.
"I don't see anything about selkies' love." Jack's brow furrowed, and then he suddenly stilled as he caught sight of the ripped pages. "Ahhh…well shit."
"Those bastards", Labelle's eyes shot to Peggy in astonishment. "And you just found it lying around?"
"Yes, it was lying in the dirt and nearly got run over by a carriage. William almost threw a fit when he saw me jump into the road to fetch it. He wouldn't stop fussing about me all day." She chuckled but then quickly fell silent. Her heart stung in her chest from the memory.
"Well, bloody whelp aside, it's best to leave the past in the past." Jack waved his hand dismissively, though his eyes burned with wrath at the mere mention of said whelp's name.
Labelle, however, sighed heavily.
"Forgive me, Jackie, I am afraid we cannot do that today. Because that bloody whelp is the second reason I called you BOTH here."
Now Jack did scowl. It was terrible enough Peggy had let her guard down once and let the boy come into her thoughts. Now they had to go and talk about him, too? The poor lass, she'd not get any sleep tonight from all the crying she was bound to do.
"What's wrong? Did something happen to him?" The worried expression on Peggy's face almost made him sick to his stomach with rage.
Gods, he was fond of this girl, but she needed to improve her taste in men!
"Is he dead?" He asked, not even bothering to mask the bitterness in his voice.
"No, Jackie, he is not dead!" Labelle clipped sternly, shooting him a warning look, which he blatantly ignored as he scoffed:
"hmph! Shame."
"Jack!" Peggy snapped at him, shaking her head as she looked expectantly at Labelle. "Go on, what's happening with Will?"
"Look, Peggy dear," Labelle leaned forward, her voice careful and measured as if trying not to spook or startle a distressed horse. "When you three defeated Barbossa at Isla de Muerta six months ago, you left a lot of chaos in your wake and many angry sailors who jumped to freedom the first chance they got-"
"They spilled the beans on me being a selkie…didn't they?" Peggy groaned into her hands.
"Aye…they spilled the beans big time. Well, those that survived that storm did." Labelle leaned back with a heavy sigh. "One in particular, a gentleman named Twigg, or so I am told, was especially talkative. Now, most who heard the man thought he was rambling mad, but there was one fellow, a real nasty piece of work, Sloane, I believe he's called, he was listening very carefully to this Twigg fellow. Very, very carefully, and asking him a whole lot of questions. Questions about you, Jack and your William."
"Oh god." Peggy gulped, her gut nearly falling to the floor.
"And ye waited till now to tell us this?" Jack growled at his sister, who snapped back waspishly.
"I'm not finished, Jackie!" She waved him to silence and sighed again. "As I was saying, this Sloane fellow questioned Twigg very intensely about you and your adventures with the Pearl. And then…a couple of weeks later, Mister Twigg vanished. At first, we all just thought it was the usual case of running out of debt or getting shanked for coins. But then, other men who claimed to be one of Barbossa's crew also started goin' missing. We don't know if it was Sloane or someone else-" she added before Jack could open his mouth again. "But…considering your cabin girl is of selkie heritage and the very sudden aggressive interest the EITC seems to be taking in this area-"
"The EITC is after her." Jack finished his tone unnaturally grim. "The last Caribbean Selkie."
"Aye…That's what it seems like." Labelle nodded, her brown eyes welling with sympathy as the young selkie before her sagged defeatedly into her seat.
"And they're…they're going after Will? Because of me?"
"Looks like it." Labelle grimaced. "Barbossa was the Pirate Lord of the Caspian Sea; his death will have caused ripples that have been felt across the seven seas. Not only that, but men from his old crew are claiming that he died at the hands of a selkie. Such a fantastical story has ways of spreading even to the strangest of places. You can't have expected the EITC not to sit up and take notice when they have spies everywhere, even here?" She added with a disappointed frown at Jack, who bristled and folded his arms.
"There's just one thing, though." The pirate captain grunted, "Dear William was pardoned by the crown for his escapades because of his new high and mighty father-in-law, Governor Swann."
"You think that will stop the EITC?" Labelle raised her eyebrows. "You, of all people, know how dirty those blackguards play, Jackie. They're more ruthless than some of the worst pirates I know."
"Aye…I know that." Jack muttered, his hand almost absentmindedly rubbing his wrist where the letter P was branded painfully into his skin. "Still, it doesn't mean that brat has no protection. It's not like we have to jump in and leap to his res…cue…" Jack trailed off, eyes widening with horror and disgust as he caught sight of the determined gritting of Peggy's jaw.
"What?" Peggy blinked at him, and he shook his head.
"Don't 'what' me lass! I know exactly what you're thinking, and the answer is no. Absolutely not!"
"Jack, Will's in danger because of me-"
"No, he ain't. From what I recall, he was the one who dragged ye back into my arms in the very first place without a care or thought for your safety. HE was the one whose bright idea it was to free me from prison and chase after Barbossa. Even you agreed it was all HIS idea in the first place, so let him deal with the consequences!"
"William helped you get back the Pearl!" Peggy retorted heatedly, "Without him putting his literal neck on the line, the curse would never have been lifted, and you know it!"
"Aye, but not without giving me and you all that grief." Jack rolled his eyes. "If he hadn't thought to double-cross me, we might've been able to solve the problem with a lot less bloodshed."
"Maybe if you had trusted Will and me with your full plan instead of keeping us in the dark, then YES, maybe we could have, but you didn't!" Peggy growled. "Besides, that still does not invalidate my point. At the end of the day, Will saved you from hanging at his own risk to his life!"
"That I will give him credit for, I admit." Jack snorted bitterly. "But that does not change the fact that he's a bloody nuisance, and the only reason the brat is in danger is his own doing!"
"Jack! How can you say that?"
"Very easily, as it turns out! What I don't understand is why you defend that whelp so much." Jack groaned, rubbing a hand over his dreadlocked head in frustration. "Seriously, Pegsy, you're a bright lass, but what is it about this eunuch that makes you lose all common sense? Hmm? What is it?"
"Jackie, hold on-" Labelle tried to warn, but Jack was not listening as he continued to rant:
"That selfish little prick was happy to use you as his little stay-at-home pretend wifey while he chased and mooned after that rum-destroying pouty-lipped noble brat! And she was no better either! Pretty as a picture, but she was more than happy to take and throw whatever she could get her hands on! You know she barely acknowledged your existence or your contribution to her rescue?! And then, she was more than happy to take your lad without thinking about you or her fiancé! Oh yes, some great friend she is. No wonder the whelp chose her over you! Two selfish peas in a bloody pod they are!"
"Jack! That's enough!" Labelle shouted angrily, giving a pointed look at Peggy.
Jack looked down at his cabin girl, and his racing heart sank into his chest.
Her head was lowered, and her hunched shoulders trembled as she wept softly into her hands.
"Peggy…I…" Jack gulped, anger flooding out of him and replaced instantly with guilt that swirled uncomfortably in his gut as he reached out to put a hand on her shoulder.
However, no sooner had he touched a finger to her than she leapt to her feet and swept out the parlour door, almost colliding with Annamaria, who had arrived to deliver dinner and rum to the room.
Upon catching sight of the crying girl running down the corridor, the ex-smuggler glowered at Jack.
"What did he do this time?" she growled, like a dog ready to take a bite.
"Don't look at me! This one brought up that whelp!" he jerked his thumb at his sister, who rolled her eyes at his childish blaming.
"I was trying to handle the matter sensitively! YOU chose to go on a rant about the boy!"
"Well, she can't keep wallowing and defending his ungrateful arse! It's not healthy!"
"I'll go find her." Annamaria sighed, rolling her eyes at the two glowering siblings as she set down the tray. "You two just shut up and eat! And no more shouting! I can nearly hear you from the bar!"
There was a sharp snap of the door closing and then silence.
Labelle looked at her brother's back. It was stiff and straight, not a hint of the languid saunter he usually had.
"Jackie-"
"Shut it!" Jack snapped, his voice as sharp as a sword. "You're not the one who listens to her cry herself to sleep at night, so don't talk as if you know what it's like!"
"Don't I?" Labelle quirked a brow. "You don't think I know how maddening it is to watch your child in pain and not be able to kick the arse of the one who hurt them?"
Jack grimaced but did not comment.
"Look, Jackie." Labelle grabbed Jack by the arm. "I know it's frustrating. But you can't force her to feel better when you want her to. It doesn't work like that. Her heart will heal when it's her time."
"That swine doesn't deserve her being heartbroken over him." Jack spat viciously. "He hardly deserves that happy ending he got himself!"
"That's not for you to decide." Labelle shook her head. "Besides, we don't even know if he is happy. For all we know, he might be utterly miserable with his lot in life after losing her."
"Good, I hope he is miserable. I hope that Miss Swan dumps him for some other gullible idiot. Give him a taste of his own medicine." Jack scoffed, and Labelle chuckled weakly.
"Peggys needs time. Time and perspective. And who knows, maybe seeing the boy living without her might buck her up enough to kick his arse to the curb herself."
"Or it might turn her into a drivelling mess again." Jack looked down at his toes. "I have seen that girl tear men to shreds and draw blood with a bite, and yet she's as soft a kitten when it comes to him. I don't know why."
"She's a young woman in love-"
"But why him?" Jack groaned. "Yeah, he's pretty easy on the eyes, but looks come and go, and I honestly don't see what's so special about him."
"They lived together for years, Jackie. And from what little she's told me about her life with him, it sounds like they went through some tough times together. You don't get through those kinds of things without forging some bond. Now, come on! Let's eat and cool off before the lovely Anna comes back and skins our hides."
"Damn, Jack! Damn, Labelle! Bringing up all that shit!" Peggy cursed as she stood in the alleyway behind the Twelve Daggers.
It perhaps was not the safest place to look for a moment alone. Many vagabonds and gangs of pirates tended to mug unsuspecting drunk patrons. But Peggy did not care. Let them come; she could shred men with her selkie fangs and claws.
"Miss Blake?"
Peggy turned her head sharply to the source of her name and was surprised to see a man sitting slumped on the ground opposite the door she had just exited, cradling a bottle of rum in his lap.
From what she could see of his sprawled legs, he was a tall man, wearing what once must have been a navy officer's uniform—and not just any officer's uniform, but a rich navy blue with plenty of gold and white trimmings. Only it was not so pristine or neat anymore, and neither was the powdered wig on top of his messy head, which looked like it had been trampled over many times by muddy boots.
Then Peggy's eyes travelled down to the man's face. It was covered in filth and had a scraggly beard, but the eyes were familiar. They were bright blue, hazy from drunkenness, and framed by a thick brow that furrowed as their owner tried to focus on her despite his inebriated state.
"… Commodore?" Peggy squinted, her sorrow fading as morbid curiosity won over.
Good lord, that could not be Commodore James Norrington…could it?
But then he spoke, and the voice was unmistakably the familiar deep drawl of the officer that had once commanded the respect of Fort Charles and Port Royal.
"Ah…it is you, Miss Blake. I wondered when I'd find you here. I guess even your precious Captain Sparrow must find a branch to perch on eventually?"
"How the hell did you end up here?" Peggy knelt before the man, completely forgetting her usual perceptiveness in her shock.
"Hurricane," Norrington grunted as he took a swig from his grubby rum bottle, and Peggy winced as she smelled the heady scent of alcohol on his breath. "No thanks to you and Sparrow."
Peggy grimaced as she remembered the bad hurricane from a few months ago. It was gnarly even by the Caribbean's usual standards. Many ships had gotten lost in it; it had been that large. Not even a sturdy lady like the Dauntless would have survived that rough hellscape. The only reason the Black Pearl managed to avoid sinking was because of Jack's bloody compass, which steered them along the safest path around the storm's fringes, and she still got severely scuffed.
"The ocean still loves you, or else you wouldn't have survived," Peggy muttered, and Norrington snorted derisively. "What about your men?"
"Dead. Most of them." the ex-commodore stated bluntly, "Though Lieutenant Groves and some others left to rejoin the navy a few months ago."
"But you stayed behind?"
"And go back to what?" Norrington glowered at her venomously. "Yours and Sparrow's antics cost my standing, my commission, and my fiancé's love-"
"I'm sorry to burst your bubble, Commodore, but Lizzy never really loved you." Peggy sighed, "She was just using you to get Will and me to safety-"
"Just as Turner used you to ensure her safety." Norrington rolled his eyes and shook his head at the heavens above. "I saw the look on your face when that fool confessed his love for Elizabeth. You'd have to be a blind idiot not to see it."
"Then you know why I chose to leave with Jack,"
"I suppose becoming a filthy pirate would be preferable to watching the one you love marry another." He agreed, his voice quiet and far less harsh than before as he heard her sniffle.
"Me? Filthy? You haven't looked at yourself in a mirror for a while, have you, Commodore? Though I will admit, the beard is rather dashing on you. You've got a good chin for it. Just needs a trim, and you'll have half the wenches in this tavern falling over you for a drink."
"I suppose I should take that as a compliment."
"I don't see any other lady paying you one, so yeah, I guess you should."
They both paused to chuckle, though neither of their hearts were in the jest.
"So they are getting married then?" Peggy mumbled, wiping at her burning eyes. To her surprise, Norrington's expression softened at the sight of her tears.
"The last time I saw them was at their engagement party just before I left to chase you and Sparrow. Though they did say it would be months before they wed, who knows when that'll happen?"
"Good lord! They invited you to their engagement party?" Peggy almost felt her heart break in two for the man. She had barely managed to watch Will proclaim his love for Elizabeth. She did not think she could handle being there to watch him put a ring on her finger. "You're a much stronger man than I am."
"You are not a man," Norrington smirked to lighten the mood, and Peggy shook her head.
"You know what I mean! Still, it beats me why you decided to attend when you're the old fiancé."
"Well, unlike you, I was a public official, wasn't I? I had a duty to uphold whatever dignity remained to me. Besides, getting a dig in at Turner felt good once I had a couple of drinks."
"What did you say?" Peggy asked, though she almost half dreaded to hear it.
"I heard him griping about wishing you were there to celebrate with him. So, I laughed and told him he was a fool if he thought you'd ever be happy watching him slobber over another woman after all he put you through." Norrington took another swig of rum, looking mightily pleased with himself. "Oh, he did not like that. He did not like that at all. Nearly punched me, he did, brute. Told me I didn't know what I was talking about. But that's the thing, isn't it? For all his declarations of affection for you, Turner is blind to everyone else's suffering but his own."
"You sound like Jack," Peggy muttered bitterly.
"Who'd have thought it? I finally found a topic on which Jack Sparrow and I can agree. This truly is a momentous day." Norrington declared sarcastically to the empty alleyway.
"You talk down to me for loving William, but you're the one who fell for Elizabeth when she used you as a stepping stone to get what she wanted." Peggy snapped, feeling her cheeks heat up despite herself.
"Yes…yes, I did. Didn't I?" Norrington sighed bitterly, and Peggy was alarmed to see his blue eyes wet with unshed tears. "It looks like we were both played for fools, then?"
"Yes… we were." She mumbled guiltily. It was strange that she and this man who had once stood so far above her could be lowered to equals in the dumps by two people.
All because we chose to love people who'd never love us back. Love does make fools of us all. Peggy looked down at the toes of her boots.
There was silence as Norrington brought the bottle of rum to his lips once more, only to upend it completely and wince as nothing hit his tongue.
Norrington swore loudly, and Peggy almost felt scandalised by the sound. Never in her wildest dreams did she think that she would see James Norrington, of all people, swear so uncouthly. It was like watching a rainbow-skinned pig walk on its hind legs and smoke a pipe!
She was spared from any commentary by the door to the tavern opening behind her and Annamaria's sigh of relief.
"There you are! I was about to send Jerry to the ship to look for you!"
"Sorry, Anna, I just needed some fresh air." Peggy rose to her feet.
"Well, you ain't about to get any with this one sittin' in the gutter," Annamaria growled at the ex-commodore, who glowered back at her with interest. "Lousy drunk lubber! Wait-what is this Peg?" Anna frowned at the coins Peggy pushed into her hands.
"This should cover his room and board for a few days."
"I don't need your pity, Miss Blake," Norrington grumbled, and Annamaria muttered.
"He really doesn't."
"It's not pity." Peggy murmured, "I'm thanking you."
"For what?"
"For this." She reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out a wad of cloth. It had once been pristine white, and she had done her best to wash it regularly, but the colour had long since faded to a dull grey.
"What's that?" Norrington muttered as she held it out to take, only to pause as he caught sight of the initials J.N. embroidered in fraying black and gold thread in one corner. "Wait…this is…this is mine."
"You gave it to me on the day of Jack's execution."
"And you've held onto it all this time?" Norrington looked up at her, his slightly glazed eyes wide with astonishment.
"Yeah…you said I'd need it. And you were right. I did. Probably more than I expected," Peggy murmured as she pressed it gently into his grubby hand. "You showed me kindness when I needed it most, and it's helped me through some dark times. It's only fair I should return the favour."
There was a pause as Norrington looked her up and down as if seeing her clearly for the first time. Maybe he was, given how much he seemed to have drunk. However, when he clambered to his feet, he impressively managed to keep his balance and coordination.
His hand was firm but gentle when he reached to grip Peggy's arm.
"You're…" He gulped as he tried to steady himself. "I take back what I once said. You're a good woman Miss Blake, one of real quality."
"Commodore-"
"James." Norrington corrected her, squeezing her arm. "Call me James."
"James." Peggy felt herself smile despite herself. "You're a good man, James. They took so much from both of us. Don't let them take that from you, too."
"Perhaps you should heed your own advice, Miss Blake."
"Peggy." Peggy corrected him, "My friends call me Peggy."
"Peggy…" Norrington repeated softly to himself as Peggy turned to whisper to Annamaria, who had watched the exchange in a mixture of awe and bewilderment.
"If he runs out of money and can't pay for his room or board, give him chores in the tavern so he can work off his tab. Whatever happens, don't let him sleep on the streets, and if someone called Sloane asks for him, send him packing."
"Sloane? That vagrant." Annamaria frowned. "What does he want with officers? Usually, he steers clear of them like the plague."
"He's EITC."
"What?! You're kidding?" Annamaria's nostrils flared. "No way…seriously?"
"Aye, and he's been causing trouble. So don't let this one out of your sight. If the company gets hold of him and he squeals, it's goodbye to all of us."
"…well…usually, I'd kill squealers like him before they'd open their mouths." Annamaria glared at Norrington with disgust as he belched loudly into the alleyway, "But if you vouch for him, I guess I can give him a chance. But he's going to have to work for his supper." She added loud enough for Norrington to hear before grabbing him by the arm. "Labelle and Jack are eating inside; I suggest you return so you don't miss out on your pie."
"Thanks, Anna. You're a good friend. Stay safe, James."
"Thank you…Peggy." Norrington coughed as Annamaria dragged him inside.
"Come on, Commodore! Let's get you cleaned up."
Peggy shook her head as she heard the ex-commodore mumble and grumble under his breath as Annamaria hauled him towards the tavern's laundry. It was one of the few rooms in the building with quick access to running water, making it the perfect place for staff to wash themselves and their clothes peacefully.
"Now to deal with Jack and Labelle," Peggy muttered as she strolled back inside and towards the parlour door.
She could hear Jack and Labelle arguing inside, but it did not seem severe. Merely idle sibling squabble.
However, when she opened the door, she winced at the eager relief in their eyes. Clearly, she had worried them a lot more than they were pretending.
"Ah! Welcome back, dear. We saved you a pie." Labelle gestured to the remaining meat pie on the table and the mug of ale.
"I'll eat it in a second." She muttered. "I've got something to say first-"
"You're going to go find the whelp." Jack cut across her with an exasperated sigh.
"Yes." Peggy deflated. Jack really could read her like an open book, couldn't he? "Someone's got to warn him about the EITC. If what they're doing to all of us pirates is any indication, then they won't care who they hurt so long as they get what they want. That means a lot of people back in Port Royal are in danger. They need to be warned. So many innocent people could be hung because they associated with me, and it'd be wrong to let them suffer because of that."
"Well, that's all noble and decent of you, love, but-"
"But you can't help me." Peggy finished for her captain. "Nor do you want to."
"Not for the whelp, no." Jack admitted, "And as for civilians, well, you forget love; they were only too happy to watch me hang. But if you feel that strongly about it, then you should go. It was your home, after all; maybe they'll listen to you. Or maybe they'll hang you. Either way, it's your choice, and I guess I must respect that. Besides, I have a treasure hunt to work on, and I'm running out of time."
"Anna gave the two of you a lecture, didn't she?" Peggy quirked a brow at Labelle, who had been silent throughout Jack's little speech.
"The woman knows how to deliver a sermon; I'll give her that." The older female pirate smirked fondly. "But since Jack won't be able to deliver you to Port Royal. I'll help you out."
"You will? But the Painted Lady-"
"I have other contacts with ships." Labelle waved a dismissive hand. "We'll find a way to get in safe and sound, don't you worry,"
"Thank you, Captain Labelle."
"Ahem!" Jack coughed.
"And thank you, Captain, for graciously allowing me to leave your esteemed presence for more than a day, even though I had already decided to go without your say-so!" Peggy said sarcastically, and Jack rolled his eyes.
"Yeah, yeah! Play up the rebellious card, love; we both know you love me too much to leave me in the lurch." He sighed and shook his head. "In all seriousness, Pegsy, if you are going back to that lout, promise me one thing."
"What?"
"Promise me you'll return to the Pearl when you're done. I don't care if you are stuck with that lad for months or even, God forbid, a year. Just promise me you'll do your best to get back to me once you're done dealing with him. So I can – ahem – I-I mean so the crew, can uh…can know you made it out safe. " There was a pause in which Jack looked down at his shoes and added in a mumble. "Ya don't have to stay with us, but…well, they are mighty fond of ye lass-oof!"
Jack was cut off as he was enveloped in a very tight hug.
"Thanks, Jack," Peggy mumbled into his ear as she rested her chin on his shoulder. "I mean it. Thank you."
"You better. I ain't having another mutiny on my hands because the crew thought I'd up and tossed ye," Jack grunted awkwardly as he patted her on the back, cheeks colouring as his sister shot him a very knowing smirk as she took a sip from her mug.
Peggy felt her eyes burn now, though for a very different reason than before. It was not often Jack let himself be vulnerable like this.
Her leaving at a time like this must have spooked him badly.
"I'll find my way back home, Jack, I promise."
The stranger in the shadows watched Jack Sparrow staggered out of the Twelve Daggers alone while two women said goodbye to him from one of the side doors.
Good, this'll go down a lot easier without his interference.
The stranger grinned as he watched the taller woman lead the shorter woman out into the street.
Time to get this show on the road.
"Captain? Yer sure about this?" Gibbs asked carefully as he and Jack strode down the pier. "Lettin' her go back to that Turner with all them EITC runnin' about?"
"Of course, I ain't sure, Gibbs." Jack groaned. "But that's the point, ain't it? It ain't my choice to make at the end of the day. Sure, I could've just hauled her back over my shoulders like a sack of potatoes and lashed her to the mast, but you know Pegsy. Whenever that boy gets involved, her brain just shuts down and goes kooky. Rather, she should go with my blessing and Jacqueline's keeping an eye on her rather than her jumping overboard and getting caught in something out of her league."
"I guess so." Gibbs shrugged with a grimace. "Just wish we could'a said goodbye. What?" Gibbs looked at his captain. "You ain't the only one fond of the lass."
"She worms her way in deep, doesn't she?" Jack snorted. "Like a ruddy termite."
Gibbs shook his head with a fond chuckle.
"She'll come back, Captain." He clapped his captain on the shoulder. "She's not broken her promises before; I don't expect her to start now. Not even for Turner."
"There's always a first time for everything," Jack muttered but then sighed. "But no... you're right. Pegs wouldn't back down on 'er promise unless she had no choice. I just hope that lad doesn't rope her into anything stupid."
"Aye…so do I captain."
"Labelle! What's going on?!"
Peggy's eyes were wide, pupils narrowed to pinpricks as she bared her fangs at the older pirate woman.
She couldn't believe it! She could not believe it!
Labelle, Jacqueline Labelle had just double-crossed her and handed her over to the East India Trading Company!
Peggy always knew Jack's family were a tricky bunch. After all, Jack Sparrow had to have learned his double-crossing, petty ways from someone, but even Peggy did not think his SISTER of all people would sink this far! AND TO THE EITC?!
"Why are you doing this, Labelle?!"
Peggy squirmed, helpless against the two burly men who held her arms behind her back in a painful lock, her stomach aching from where it had been punched hard to force her into submission.
Whoever these men were, they had no qualms about using violence against a woman, though their leader seemed put out that she had put up such a struggle.
Well, what did that jackass expect? She was Peggy Blake, the cabin girl of one of the pirate lords of the brethren court, not some naive housemaid from the mainland!
This must be that Sloane fellow. Peggy glowered at Labelle as the older woman ignored her instead of turning to the EITC agent.
He was a tall man with a fair head of hair. Beneath his short, scruffy beard, he had a handsome face with a strong jaw and a nose that was slightly crooked as if a punch had broken it. His bearing more befitted an aristocrat's clerk than a grubby pirate vagrant.
When he spoke, his voice was melodic and smooth, almost soothing. But something in his pale green eyes made Peggy shiver with unease, and her selkie side raise its hackles. This was not just a man; this was a predator, a hunter.
Just who was this Sloane?
"I trust you'll deliver my son back safe and sound before you depart?" Labelle's voice was stern and curt even as the man smiled.
"Of course, Captain Labelle. Unlike some of your fellow pirates, we at the EITC honour our agreements. Your son will be delivered to you safe and sound into your hands."
Wait! Does the EITC have Jimmy?! Peggy thought wildly, her eyes darting back to the direction of the docks.
But she had little time to ponder the strange turn of events when Sloane reached out with a hand to grab her by the chin and inspect her face.
"I must say, Captain Labelle, when you said you could deliver the last selkie to us, I was sceptical, but those eyes…these fangs…" he jerked his hand back as Peggy, on instinct, snapped her teeth at his fingers before they could touch her face. "You are a marvel, aren't you? All these years, we thought you were dead, but here you were under our noses. My boss will be pleased to see you."
"We'll see about that!" Peggy spat. "I wonder how pleased he'll be once I've clawed his eyes out! AND YOU!" she snarled at Labelle. "Jack trusted you! When he hears about what you've done, you will be in for it! That's if I don't gut you like a fish first!"
"Careful, dear Peggy." Labelle cautioned her sternly. "I do like your spunk, and you might be dear Jackie's favourite, but be careful. Even my fondness has its limits. Anyway, you should be thanking me."
"Thanking you?" Peggy spat.
"Yes, I told you I'd get you on a ship to Turner, and well, the EITC has some of the best ships around right now!"
"They also have the best prison cells around and the best executioners!" Peggy growled, and Sloane chuckled.
"You won't have to worry about that, Miss Blake. My employer gave me precise instructions to treat you as a very special guest. The last selkie of the Caribbean is a precious commodity, and I would not see it spoiled."
"Commodity! I'm a living being, not some slave you sell at the market!"
But Sloane was not listening to her anymore as he turned to offer a hand to Labelle to shake.
"It was a pleasure doing business with you, Captain Labelle. I will be sure to put in a good word to my employer for your sterling service. You shall find your son at the Faithful Bride with my men. He's perfectly safe; the last I saw him, the lads showed him how to win at cards."
"He better be safe." Labelle smiled coldly at the man. "Or else there will be no barren corner on Earth you or your boss could hide from me." She turned her attention back on Peggy, who bristled as she caught sight of the slightly sad gleam in the woman's eye.
"Do buck up, dear. If you're Jack's protégé, you'll be fine." And with that, she stalked around the corner and out of the alleyway, leaving Peggy to scream at her back.
"Labelle! Labelle, get back here! Get back here, you double-crossing bit-"
KATWHACK!
Peggy yelped as her cheek stung from the impact of Sloane's slap. For a man that seemed posh, his hands were like iron. From the callouses she had briefly felt and the slight swollenness of his knuckles, he had to do some boxing in his spare time.
But does he know how to use a sword?
"Dear me, such a temper!" Sloane chuckled as she glared up at him, her cheek red from his hit him. "I was hoping not to use force to keep you quiet, Miss Blake, but if you keep fighting back, I will have no choice."
"Oh, I'll show you fight!" Peggy snarled, and with a snarl, she shoved hard at both her captors, managing to sink her claws into one of their hands.
Then, the man cried out as he leapt away from her in shock and alarm, but Peggy did not have time to pay him attention—not when Sloane suddenly appeared before her with his fist raised.
There was a heavy thud, a flash of white in front of her eyes.
And then…
Blackness.
"Peggy!"
Will Turner shouted as he bolted upright in his bed.
It was the dead of night at Mister Brown's smithy and lodgings. The property owner was somewhere stumbling around in the alleyway, drunk out of his mind.
All in all, it was a very typical night for William Turner. Still, he was unable to sleep.
He cursed himself as he reached for his forehead and wiped off a layer of sweat.
He could barely recall the dream he had just had. Some man was in it, and he punched Peggy in the face. Was it Barbossa? But no? Barbossa was dead, and Jack would never strike Peggy like that.
There was only one thing Will was sure about. Something was wrong in the air tonight. He could almost feel it in his bones.
It's probably just the stress of the wedding planning doing this to me. He assured himself as he sank back into his bed, staring up at the ceiling.
Will sighed as he tried to shut his eyes again, his eyes clenching as visions of a smiling copper-haired woman in a blue dress silhouetted by the setting sun's light filled his head. She had been so beautiful that day, so free. Indeed, nothing bad had befallen her since then. Had it?
Peggy's not in trouble. He mused, pursing his lips as he tried to ignore the odd prickling at the back of his neck that only usually flared if he thought he was in danger. She's with Jack…She's safe with Jack. He promised he would not let any harm come to her. And he won't. Jack would never hurt her. He'd never hurt her…
And yet…
"Peggy…please be safe."
"I thought I ordered you to bring her in without damage."
Peggy winced as she felt a gentle hand turn her jaw side to side to inspect her cheek.
Even without her eyes opening, she could tell she was lying on something…a bed. But not just any bed—a bed on a ship. The gentle side-to-side sway was unmistakable.
"Apologies, my Lord, but she was causing quite the scene. We wouldn't have been able to get her out unnoticed with how she fought back. But do not worry, I have already taken her to the ship's doctor, and he's assured me she will not suffer any lingering side effects from her capture tonight."
"Good. Because there would have been dire consequences for any permanent damage."
That voice…that voice was familiar.
Peggy knew that voice…though she had not heard it for a long time. It often came to her in dreams or at random moments during the day when memories of old were sparked, but those were few and far. The voice's owner had often caused her misery, so she had tried not to think about him.
To think he was here with her in the room after all these years...
"Tch! Tell the men to fetch a bucket of seawater."
"My lord?"
"Some sea water! And quickly! Her kind always heal faster when in contact with the ocean's waters."
"As you wish, my lord."
Peggy flinched as she felt a gentle finger trail across her bruised cheek, brushing her curls from her face. Her curls…someone had untied her hair.
And the finger on her face…
She almost hated how much her heart ached for the familiar feel of Will's hands cupping her cheeks; his hands, roughened from working in the forge, were always gentle and warm for her. Or Jack's teasing fingers that poked her cheeks and ruffled her hair with all those rings and the callouses of rough sea life.
These fingers were gentle, too, but it did not feel right. These were the hands of a man more familiar with handling delicate merchandise than a person they cared about.
"Are you awake, my dear?" the familiar voice called softly to her. "You can open your eyes if you want. We are perfectly alone now."
Peggy thought she could make out some affection in the man's voice, but it felt strange. It felt wrong. And Margaret…there was only one person in her life that had ever called her that…
She opened her eyes.
The light of the sun streamed through a window high above her head. From the paleness of the light, it seemed to be morning already, probably only just after the crack of dawn. She was in a bed in a ship's cabin. Merchant ship from its size, she guessed. The feather mattress was soft and luxurious, and the sheets were clean and silky.
But the hand clad in the frill cuffed sleeve of a silk-embroidered, finely woven black wool long coat grabbed her attention. It was the pale hand of a man, very similar in size and shape to hers, though her skin was more tanned and coarser from years of hard labour in the sun and sea, while he retained the softness and smoothness of a plush life spent indoors with pen and paper.
Her eyes travelled up the length of the fine cloth and the shoulder to the man's face, and she gasped.
His face, like his hand, was pale, smooth and unshaven, a mask of calm and propriety. He wore a white powdered wig over hair that Peggy could not see but instinctively knew was mousy brown. His clothes were all pristine and neat to perfection, not a pin nor line was out of place. His ears were of similar shape to hers, as was his brow, though her eyebrows were dark red-brown instead of mousy brown.
And his eyes…his eyes…
Peggy almost felt her heart stop as she saw a pair of grey-blue eyes the same shape and size reflected right back at her, almost like a mirror image of her own, though hers were wide like saucers. Despite his overall icy demeanour, something in his countenance seemed to soften as he met her gaze, the corners of his mouth twitching in the ghost of a smile long forgotten.
"Hello Margaret."
"…Father?"
There we have it! The beginning of DMC! Well, it will be a little before the beginning of DMC!
And yes, as many have probably guessed from chapter 9, a certain Lord of the EITC is Peggy's father! We finally got there, folks! Finally, get the mad jerk to meet his daughter!
So yeah, a little bit about Peggy's life with Jack and how she's spent the past few months recovering from heartbreak (or wallowing). I figured he and Gibbs would get frustrated with her moping and grieving the loss of her old life, but it's all coming from a place of love. It was also fun bringing in Norrington a little early. I figure he might hate Jack, but he and Peggy are in the same boat, so there would be some sympathy. Yikes, poor Will is going to cop a lot of flack from many people when he gets back to piracy. Then again, that's what happens when you make enemies out of so many people from your choices!
On that note, it was fun bringing in my new OC, Jack's older half-sister, Jacqueline Labelle (same father, Edward Teague, different mother), the captain of The Painted Lady; shoutout to any fellow Avatar Last Airbender fans out there ;). I hoped to bring Labelle in the Curse of the Black Pearl, but she did not fit anywhere in the plotline. I feel like DMC is a good place to start expanding on the world a little more. And what better way to bring in a relative of Jack's than a double cross? After all, Jack's got to get it from somewhere!
But yeah hope you guys enjoyed because things are going to heat up from here.
If you want to see more or have any further suggestions moving forward please fave, follow and review for more and I'll see you in the next chapter.
Thanks
FuzzyBeta