𝐇𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞|𝐉𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐍𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐨𝐧

𝗔𝗖𝗧 𝗩𝗜-𝗖𝗔𝗣𝗧𝗔𝗜𝗡 𝗕𝗔𝗥𝗕𝗢𝗦𝗦𝗔

"I had no idea we were taking captives, Pintel," someone addressed Pintel, whom she presumed to be the leader. Pintel responded, "They invoked the right of parlay with Captain Barbossa," as they both observed the two women. Eve retorted, "Keep your eyes to yourselves," addressing the pirates, who looked at her in disbelief. One of the pirates whose name she didn't know asked, "What did you just say?!" However, before he could continue, everyone sensed a strong presence approaching.

A dark figure stood at the top of the stairs, silhouetted against the smoke on the main deck. Elizabeth grabbed Eve's hand, intimidated. Judging by the figure's confident stride, Eve thought it must be Captain Barbossa, and she was correct. Despite his colorful attire, he exuded an aura that made it clear he was not someone you wanted to encounter, especially in a dark alley. Elizabeth, filled with terror, couldn't tear her eyes away from his gaze, and Eve found herself doing the same. Deep inside, she prayed that someone would find and rescue them, but until then, she had to ensure Elizabeth's safety.

"I am here to..." Eve began to speak, summoning her courage. But before she could continue, one of the pirates slapped her, causing her to almost lunge at him. "Excuse you! Who do you think you are?!" she nearly shouted, positioning herself in front of Elizabeth and facing the pirate. However, before she could say anything more, Barbossa forcefully grabbed the pirate's wrist. "You will not lay a hand on those under the protection of the parlay!" he threatened. The pirate conceded, saying, "Aye, sir."

Barbossa released him and turned to Elizabeth and Eve, a smile revealing his gold and silver teeth. "My apologies, miss. Please continue what you were saying before you were so rudely interrupted," he requested. Elizabeth stood by Eve's side again, and Eve narrowed her eyes at the pirate who had slapped Elizabeth.

"Fais gaffe à toi," [You better watch out] she uttered in his direction, earning confused looks from everyone except Elizabeth, who laughed despite not understanding the phrase. Then she continued explaining why they had sought an audience with Barbossa, although it was evident that he already knew.

"Captain Barbossa, we have come to negotiate an end to hostilities against Port Royal," Elizabeth declared. Barbossa remained silent for a few seconds, amused and impressed, before responding, "There were many long words in there, miss, and we are nothing but humble pirates. What is it that you two want?"

Eve scoffed at the notion of "humble pirates," prompting Barbossa to give her a sidelong glance before returning his attention to Elizabeth, who promptly answered, "We want you to leave Port Royal and never return." Barbossa and his crew burst into laughter in response, and Eve could feel her anger simmering, causing her to clench her fists.

"I am disinclined to acquiesce to your request, which, in other words, means no," Barbossa replied. Elizabeth was about to say something in return, but Eve interjected, "Fine." She turned to Elizabeth, gently removing the medallion and stepping to the side of the rail, letting the medallion dangle over the deep water. The pirates fell silent. "Then you wouldn't mind if I dropped this into the sea, would you?" she responded, awaiting an answer.

All she wanted was for the pirates to release them, leave, and never return. However, that was easier said than done. "My holds are bursting with treasures. Do you really think that bit of shine matters to me?" Eve tightened her grip on one of the ship's ropes before replying, "Because it's what you've been searching for. You've been looking for it for years. I recognize this ship. It's the ship Elizabeth saw eight years ago while crossing England, and she later described it to me since I wasn't there."

"Oh, did she?" Barbossa retorted, and Eve glared at him, realizing that her approach was getting her nowhere. Then an idea struck her, and while hoping it would work, she started speaking again. "Fine. I suppose it's worthless, then. So, I see no reason for Elizabeth to keep it." She let go of the medallion but caught it by the chain, a triumphant smile on her face as the pirates grew alarmed. "No!" Barbossa exclaimed. "C'est bien ce que je pensais," [That's what I thought] she muttered under her breath, satisfied that she seemed to have achieved what Elizabeth and she desired.

Barbossa asked her, "You got a name, missy?" She held her head high and responded, "Eve." "No last name, Eve?" he inquired, and she raised an eyebrow at him. "Neither do I think that's of any interest for you." she said, her voice laced with defiance.

Barbossa studied her for a moment, his eyes narrowed, before breaking into a chuckle. "Well then, Miss Eve, you've certainly caught my attention. You're a bold one, I'll give you that." He turned to his crew, addressing them, "Men, it seems we have ourselves a situation. This young lady here believes she has something that piques our interest." The pirates exchanged curious glances, their attention shifting from Barbossa to Eve.

Eve maintained her composure, her grip on the medallion firm. "If you and your crew leave Port Royal for good, I'll return this medallion to you. It's the only way you'll ever possess it," she proposed, her voice steady. Barbossa's eyes gleamed with a mixture of fascination and amusement. "And why should I trust you, Miss Eve?" he questioned, a smirk playing on his lips.

"Because if you don't, you'll never lay hands on it," she replied, her voice carrying a hint of challenge. Barbossa's smile widened, revealing his gold and silver teeth once more. "Well, Miss Eve, it appears we have ourselves a deal," he declared, extending his hand towards her. Eve hesitated for a moment, her gaze shifting between Barbossa and the pirates surrounding her. Finally, she reached out and shook his hand, sealing their agreement.

───❆✵ ·· ✵❆───

The deafening sound of cannon fire finally subsided, leaving both women startled and exchanging glances of relief. The pirates scurried about, executing orders, while Barbossa turned away. However, Elizabeth couldn't let the opportunity pass and called out to him once more. "Wait! You must return us to the shore! According to the rules of the Order of the Brethren—" Her words were cut off as Barbossa pivoted back towards them, his gaze fixed upon them.

"Firstly, the return to the shore for the two of you was not part of our negotiations or agreement, so I 'must' do nothing," Barbossa interjected, his voice dripping with authority. "Secondly, you must be a pirate for the Pirate's Code to apply, and neither of you is one. And thirdly... the code is more what you'd call guidelines than actual rules. Welcome aboard the Black Pearl, Eve and Miss Turner," he declared, a mischievous grin adorning his face. With that, he turned away once again, leaving Elizabeth and Eve stunned.

"Maybe I should just jump off and swim back," Eve contemplated aloud, her voice tinged with sarcasm. Elizabeth turned to her, aghast. "But you're scared of deep water, and you can't swim! What if you drown?" she exclaimed, concern etched on her face. Eve met Elizabeth's gaze and replied, "What else should we do then? We don't even know where they're taking us."

As the Black Pearl veered away from the shore, Elizabeth and Eve found themselves guided along the ship's deck, making their way toward the captain's cabin. The uncertainty of their future loomed over them, but they could only hope for a chance to escape or find a way to turn the tides in their favor.