In the Hands of Fate I: Curse of the Black Pearl

Chapter six

Chapter six

I love dancing in the rain. Especially when it pours. Though this was outrageous.

We were caught in possibly the worst storm I've ever seen and it didn't help that I haven't been on a ship at all in nearly ten years.

"How can we sail to an island that nobody can find with a compass that doesn't work?" Will called out.

"Aye, the compass doesn't point north," I responded, "but we're not trying to find north are we?"

He looked at me strangely as I walked away.

The ship leaned a little too far as I walked to the helm, and I stumbled. A pair of strong arms caught me just as I was about to go overboard.

"We should drop canvas!" I screamed.

"She can hold a bit longer."

I looked up to him to see if he was serious, only to find him smiling. "What's in your head that's put you in such a fine mood, dragoste?"

"We're catching up."

...

"How is it Jack came by that compass?" Will asked as he and Gibbs made their way to where I stood. The storm had been over for quite a while and now we sailed through what could possibly be the most dangerous passage in the Caribbean.

"Not a lot's known about Jack Sparrow 'fore he showed up in Tortuga with a mind to go after the treasure of the Isla de Muerta," Gibbs responded, "That was before I'd met him. Back when he was Captain of the Black Pearl."

"What?" The boy looked to the Captain. "He failed to mention that."

"Aye, he plays things closer to the vest know, er, so I've heard," I told him, "And a hard-learned lesson it was. See, three days out into the venture, his first mate comes to him and says everything's and equal share. That should mean the location of the treasure as well."

"So, Jack gives up the bearings" Gibb piped up, "That night, there was a mutiny."

I took a sip of the rum in my hand and shook my head. "Mmm, not true! It was the next morning. The first rays of the sunrise were peaking through the blinds."

Gibbs rolled his eyes. "They marooned Jack on an island and left him to die, but not before he'd gone mad with the heat."

"Ah. So that's the reason for all the…" Will did a wonderful impression of Jack's drunken demeanor.

"Reason's got nothing to do with it," I stated as I sat on a nearby crate, "Now, Will, when a pirate's marooned he's given a pistol with a single shot. Un împuşcat." I held up my finger.

"Well, that won't do much good hunting or to be rescued," Gibbs said as he took over, "But after three weeks of a starving belly and thirst, that pistol start to look real friendly."

"But Jack? Oh, he escaped the island, and he still has that single shot. Oh, he won't use it though, save for one man; his mutinous first mate."

"Barbossa," Will stated matter-of-factly.

"Aye," I took another swig of my rum.

"How did he escape the island?" Will questioned.

I watched as Gibbs animatedly told the obviously exaggerated tale of Jack escape. I didn't much care for the tale myself. It was absolutely ridiculous. Roping a couple of sea turtles; preposterous, really. Especially since that definitely wasn't as original as Jack tells it to be. It actually is quite similar to a story I heard when I was younger, from his father of all people.

"Human hair," Jack responded to a question I hadn't heard, "from my back. Let go the anchor!"

I blinked. I'd been staring up at the helm, not really watching him I assure you, but I still hadn't seen him come over.

"Young Mister Turner and Miss Barbossa and I are to go ashore."

I swallowed one last gulp of rum before I stood to follow the three others.

"Captain, what if the worst should happen?" Gibbs questioned seriously.

"Keep to the Code."

"Aye, the Code."

...

"What code is Gibbs to keep if the worst should happen?" Will asked as we rowed through the tunnel. Technically, Jack rowed, Will held tight to a lantern, and I kept my eyes downcast, twiddling my thumbs as I shifted under Jack's leer.

"Pirates Code," Jack answered. "Any man that falls behind is left behind."

"No heroes among thieves, eh?"

"For someone with such a bleak outlook on pirates, you're well on your way to becoming one," I piped up. "Sprung a man from jail, commandeered a ship of the fleet, sailed with a buccaneer crew out o' Tortuga." Both Will and Jack looked over the side of the boat and looked at and overturned chest of gold. "And you're completely obsessed with treasure."

We hit the small embankment and Will pulled the boat up on shore.

"That's not true," Will contradicted, "I am not obsessed with treasure."

Jack helped me out of the boat and his golden-brown eyes looked longingly into my silvery blue ones.

"Not all treasure is silver and gold, mate."

"Gentlemen," my father's voice called as we climbed to watch the ritual, Jack's hand never let mine go, "the time has come! Our salvation is nigh! Our torment is near an end!"

"Elizabeth," Will whispered.

"For ten year's we've been tested and tried, and each man jack of you here has proved his mettle a hundred times over and a hundred times again!" Barbossa cried out.

The crew yelled their assent.

"Suffered, I have!" Ragetti complained.

"Punished, we were, the lot of us. Disproportionate to our crime! Here it is!" My father kicked open the chest of cursed Aztec gold and raked his hand over it. "The cursed treasure of Cortés himself. Every last piece that went astray we have returned. Save for this." He pointed to the medallion resting on Elizabeth's bosom.

"Jack!" Will poised as if he was going to jump and upset some treasure.

"Not yet," Jack warned. "We wait for the opportune moment."

Jack pulled me back down to the boat.

"When's that? When it's of greatest profit to you?" Will badgered as he followed us.

Jack stopped suddenly. "May I ask you something?" He turned to Mr. Turner and got up in his face. "Have I ever given you reason not to trust me?"

"Yes," I wanted to mumble. Something about Jack's demeanor told me not to.

"Do us a favor. I know it's difficult for you, but please... stay here and try not to do anything... stupid."

He pulled me along with him, his fingers still laced with mine.

"Jack?"

"Hmm?"

"Why all of a sudden the change of heart?" I asked confused.

"I'm still your best friend, am I not?"

I never gave the answer, for Will had knocked us out.

...

Romanian translations:

Un împuşcat - One shot.