Chancing Fate - Jack Sparrow x OC

Part 3 - Chapter 1

Very few lights were out as the night settled over Singapore. Despite the late hour, there were still several people out and about, though it could not be said that they were a comforting sight to see. They weren't people that Caroline Palmer needed to worry about at the moment. She and Elizabeth Swann sat in a small boat, making their way down the waterway, where they would be meeting with others.

Two months of internal agony left the world feeling vastly different to Lena. Nothing was the same without Jack beside her, and despite never needing someone before and always being an independent person, she had somehow started depending on him quite a lot. But he wasn't there to rely on. In fact, there was no one to rely on.

Despite knowing the woman beside her for years, Lena felt like she didn't know Elizabeth at all. Her friend Lizzy was a distant memory, replaced by the fierce woman that looked like her. Lena knew she had changed as well though, so she couldn't say it was only Elizabeth that created that feeling between them. She just couldn't see in herself what had changed, not as easily as with her friend.

Living with pirates tends to do that to a person.

As they traveled, Elizabeth sang quietly, "the bell has been raised from its watery grave; hear its sepulchral tone? A call to all, pay heed the squall, and turn your sails toward home!... yo ho, all together, hoist the colors high. Yo ho, thieves-"

"And beggars, never say we die," another voice cut in just as they went to get out. A man stepped out from the shadows, clearly one of Sao Feng's men as he stood guarding a door along with another pirate. "A dangerous song to be singing, for anyone ignorant of its meaning. Particularly women, particularly women alone," he threatened as he stepped up to the two of them.

Neither woman needed to speak as another voice, one Lena had grown quite accustomed to in the past two months, cut into the conversation. "What makes you think they're alone?" Barbossa stepped down, joining their group as he looked down at the man in front of them.

"You protect her?" the pirate asked as he stepped between Lena and Elizabeth, looking at Barbossa. A mistake on his part.

Elizabeth pulled out a knife, holding it against his neck as she asked, "And what makes you think I need protecting?"

Lena stepped forward so she could shoot Elizabeth a look. As if they needed to create problems before they even got inside. She had never imagined Elizabeth to be so impulsive and ready to jump into action, yet she had seen this side of her a lot in the last couple months. Lena, on the other hand, still preferred to still her sword if she could.

"Your master's expectin' us," Barbossa said before sending a particular look to Elizabeth, joining the look Lena had already been giving her. "An unexpected death would cast a slight pall on our meeting."

Taking the hint, Elizabeth released the man, shrugging at Barbossa as she did. The action was unapologetic as she stepped aside, waiting for him to lead.

As they walked, the man, whom they learned was called Tai Huang, and his men led them up the path and through the doors, all the while ignoring their quiet conversation. Otherwise, they most certainly would have been under even more suspicion than they already were.

"Have you heard anything from Will?" Elizabeth asked Barbossa as they followed after their guide, keeping enough distance to not be overheard.

Not answering her question, Barbossa instead replied, "I trust young Turner to acquire the charts, and you to remember your place in the presence of Captain Sao Feng."

"Is he that terrifying?" Elizabeth asked.

"He's much like myself, but absent my merciful nature and sense of fair play," Barbossa explained, though he paused to glare at Lena as she scoffed at his words.