Chancing Fate - Jack Sparrow x OC

Part 3 - Chapter 12

A/N: Updated

For a room full of pirates, Lena had to admit it seemed almost civilized. A large table dominated the center of the room, surrounded by pirates who looked as though they had never once questioned their right to be there. She could only assume they were the other Pirate Lords. None of them looked remotely concerned by the room around them. If anything, everyone else seemed to be watching them instead. Behind each captain stood members of their crew, their overlapping conversations filling the room while curious glances drifted toward the newcomers as Jack and Barbossa entered.

Following Jack and Barbossa farther inside, Lena took in one unfamiliar captain after another before her attention drifted to the pistols and swords that seemed almost as common as belts. She couldn't decide which looked more dangerous: the weapons or the people carrying them.

Barbossa strode toward the table while Lena remained with Jack beside the globe that currently housed eight of the Pirate Lords' swords. Even surrounded by the other Pirate Lords, he looked as though he belonged there every bit as naturally as they did, and after everything she'd only just realized the day before, seeing him among them somehow made the title fit even better. He lingered beside the globe another moment, his fingers brushing absently against the coin hanging from his bandana before his hand fell away again, only to return to it a moment later.

Glancing between Jack and the rest of the room, Lena rested her hand lightly against his arm, giving it a small squeeze before leaning up to press a quick kiss against his cheek. His eyes flicked toward her for just a moment, a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth before his attention returned to the globe. She stepped quietly back to his side, leaving him the moment he seemed to need as Barbossa called the Court to order.

With a cannonball in hand, he banged it on the table, drawing everyone's attention.

"As he who issued summons, I convene this, the fourth Brethren Court. To confirm your lordship and right to be heard, present now your pieces of eight, my fellow cap'ns."

As all the captains began pulling out items, Lena watched as Ragetti walked around, collecting all of them in a bowl. Whatever she'd expected the legendary Pieces of Eight to be, it certainly hadn't been this. As he made his way around the table, the bowl began to look more like a collection of random odds and ends than anything worthy of deciding the fate of pirates across the world. Judging by the conversation she overheard between Pintel and Gibbs, they seemed to be thinking much the same thing.

As Ragetti reached Barbossa once more, Barbossa held out his hand. "Master Ragetti, if you will."

"I kept it safe for you, just like you said when you gave it to me," Ragetti replied.

"Aye," Barbossa shot back, "ya have, but now I need it back." He finished with a smack to the back of Ragetti's head, collecting his wooden eye as it fell into the bowl, claiming it as his piece of eight.

"Sparrow!" Villanueva shouted as only one more pirate lord present had a piece of eight to give.

Jack snapped his head toward the sound of his name, his fingers instinctively finding the coin hanging from his bandana. For the briefest moment, his thumb lingered against it before he finally pulled the coin free.

"Might I point out that we are still short one pirate lord, and I'm content as a cucumber to wait until Sao Feng joins us," Jack stated as he walked toward the table with Lena just a step behind him.

Even now, he looked more resigned than eager as he finally stepped toward the table. Whatever plan had carried him this far still remained largely his own, and Lena had no better idea now than she had aboard the Pearl how all its pieces were supposed to fit together.