The Redhead of the Sea (Jack Sparrow x OC)

Chapter 16: Tia Dalma

Unknown Location, Middle of the Caribbean - Early Nightfall

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Our heroes travelled for the remainder of the same day and reached their destination when the moon was high in the sky, illuminating the earth along with the countless stars. n. Deep into an overgrown gloomy swamp, two boats with our crew on top were making their way up the river. Artemis, Will, Gibbs and Jack were all on the first boat; the Captain looked around in slight worry.

"Why is Jack afraid of the open ocean?" the second asked.

"Well, if you believe such things, there's a beast that does the bidding of Davy Jones. A fearsome creature with giant tentacles that suction your face cleans off and drags an entire ship down to the crushing darkness. The Kraken. They say the stench of its breath is... ooh." Gibbs suppressed a shiver. "Imagine, the last thing you know on God's green earth is the roar of the Kraken and the reeking odour of a thousand rotting corpses... If you believe such things" he explained as Artemis looked at Jack slightly worried.

"And the key will spare him that?"

"Now that's the very question Jack wants to be answered. Bad enough even to go visit... her"

"Her?" both friends asked at the same time, the female being as clueless as him.

She had been informed that they would see someone but never imagined would be a woman. Particularly, a woman who seemed to spread some fear or worry to the older man.

"Aye"

They finally came to a halt in front of a hut, deep into the wilderness. As they started to climb off the boats, Artemis shivered when she felt the eyes of strange people following their progress.

"No worries, mates. Tia Dalma and I go way back. Thick as thieves. Nigh inseparable we are... Were... Have been... Before..." Jack said, sounding less convinced by each word that left his mouth.

"I'll watch your back" Gibbs reassured him.

"It's me front I'm worried about"

"Mind the boat," he said to Will.

"Mind the boat," Will said to Artemis.

"Mind the boat," she said to Raggetti and the line kept going as our heroes walked towards the hut.

Jack was the first to enter or better say cautiously creep into the house. He didn't go unnoticed by the residents of the hut.

"Jack Sparrow" a voice with a thick foreign accent was heard as the rest of our heroes entered the hut.

In front of them, at the other end of the room; a dark-skinned woman with thick black hair and some paint on her face looked at them.

"Tia Dalma" the captain greeted and almost knocked his head against a hanging jar full of eyeballs.

"I always knew the wind was going to blow you back to me one day," she said with a husky voice as she approached Jack, a flirty look in her dark brown orbs. However, her attention went to Will and she ended up pointing a single digit at him. "You. You have a touch a' destiny about you...William...Turner" she said, now standing in front of him.

"You know me?" the man asked confused.

"You want to know me," she said in a seductive tone and leaned closer, only for her eyes to land on Artemis. A smile appeared on her painted black lips as she approached the redhead. There seemed to be this new glow in her dark eyes, a sense of recognition as she took in the sight of the adult redhead standing amongst the men. "Artemis, my dear. Look at you, all grown up... a full woman"