Barbossa's Daughter

Chapter 15

Her uncle really was a few cards shy of a full deck as he took his crew towards the dwelling of Tia Dalma, who was, by all accounts, a witch.

The swampy area was dark and dank with smog as they approached the small hut on stilts that was lit with small torches. And it was safe to say that all the men were nervous.

"No worries, mates," Jack assured them as he climbed up the ladder that led to the entrance. "Tia Dalma and I go way back. Thick as thieves. Nigh inseparable, we are. Were. Have been. Before."

"I'll watch your back," Gibbs promised.

"It's me front I'm worried about," Jack replied and Cora rolled her eyes, bored of this already.

"Mind the boat," Gibbs said to Cora before he realised who he was speaking to as her eyes darkened.

"Don't ye dare give me orders. Mind the boat, Mystery Man," Cora bellowed as she followed Jack up the ladder, Gibbs behind her as Will disobeyed orders and told Ragetti to mind the boat and the order was passed down the line, leaving Mr Cotton to mind the boat as his parrot flew inside.

Jars hung from the ceiling filled with gods knows what as a python hung from a branch and candles blazed inside. Jack pushed open the creaky door to reveal the woman with black teeth inside.

"Jack Sparrow," she crowed as she looked up from her table and Jack strutted inside.

"Tia Dalma."

"I always knew the wind was going to blow you back to me one day," she grinned as she sauntered up to him before her eyes settled on Will. "You...you have a touch of destiny about you, William Turner," she proclaimed, and his brows furrowed.

"You know me?"

"You want to know me," Tia grinned as she leaned in close and suddenly Jack was pushing Cora out of the way as he got between them.

"There'll be no knowing here. We've come for help and we're not leaving without it."

"That's one way to ask for it, yer cockroach," Cora snarled at her uncle as she righted herself.

"There are many ways to ask for many things, Cordelia Barbossa," Tia drawled and Cora turned her scowl on the witch.

"If ye know everything, ye should know I hate my full name," she snapped and the woman only grinned.

"Aye, I do. I also have something that belongs to ya."

And Cora's brows furrowed as she rested a hand on her sword hilt. "What?"

"All in due time, heart of the sea," Tia grinned before she took Jack's arm and let him escort her back to her table. "Come."

"Come," Jack repeated as Cora and Will sat down and Tia caressed Will's face as he seemed rather uncomfortable.

"What service may I do you?" she asked before looking up at Jack. "You know I demand payment."

"I brought payment," Jack said as he whistled and Pintel handed him a covered cage that he revealed to hold Jack the monkey inside.

"Jack! Jack!" Cora said, the first time in outrage and the second time a snarl as she shot to her feet and Jack the human shot Jack the monkey.

"Look. An undead monkey. Top that."

And all Tia did was simply set him free.

"Don't!" Gibbs said as the monkey scampered over to Cora who held him contently. "You have no idea how long it took us to catch that."

"I wonder why," Cora asked venomously before Jack the monkey scampered off into Tia's dwelling.

"The payment is fair. And don't cha worry. I take good care of him," Tia promised Cora who fixed her glare on the woman again.