Siren Song: Curse of the Black Pearl

Chapter 5

   Jack stared, realizing something very important. "The stories are true." Koehler ushered Twigg toward the door. He looked back, glaring at Jack.

"You know nothing of hell." Koehler sneered, and then they're gone, leaving Jack alone once more, with nothing but the sound of cannon fire.

~- Night, Long boat, Port Royal-~

Amid the thunder of cannon fire, a longboat slipped through the fog. Elizabeth sat in the prow, with Roxanne on the bench behind her. As they looked around columns of water from cannon balls shot up like geysers around the boat, occasionally spraying them, much to Elizabeth's annoyance, and Roxanne's agony. She could feel the burning sensation of not being able to transform in enough water. That was precisely why she hated baths, but hey, what could you do?

As the fog parted, the girls looked up to see the Black Pearl in all its glory. A tall galleon, with black sails looming high above them. At the bow, an ornately carved figurehead of a beautiful woman, arm held high, and a small bird taking wing from her outstretched hand. Stunning. Absolutely stunning. As the longboat neared the daunting ship, Roxanne felt a wave of premonition rolling over her.

The longboat was raised above the deck rail when they neared the sides, and the pirates on deck spotted them, and stared in mild surprise. One polite fellow stepped forward to offer his hand, which Elizabeth took carefully, and stepped down to the deck, quickly followed by Roxanne. Elizabeth huddled, drawing herself closer, feeling somewhat self-conscious in her nightgown and dressing robe, while Roxanne looked around curiously, scoping out the new landscape.

Taking in every detail of the beautiful ship. Roxanne could feel the waves drumming at the hull, rocking the ship to it's movements. She took a breath of salty air from the open ocean. It smelled of home.

"I didn't know we was taking captives." One pirate frowned.

"This one's invoked the right of parley," Pintel nodded to Elizabeth. "...with Captain Barbossa."

An imposing figure in silhouette stood by the wheel caught Roxanne's eye, too far away to have heard Pintel's words Roxanne noted, but his head turned at the mention of the name. The silhouetted figure moved toward the stairs. A cloud of smoke obscuring him from her careful eyes- and then, as if he skipped the stairs, he strode out of the smoke on the main deck.

'Barbossa?' Roxanne thought with a tilted head, and caught sight of his hat. 'Barbossa.' She confirmed, current captain of the Black Pearl. Despite the bright colors of his clothing, he was definitely not a man you'd want to meet in a dark alley, or anywhere, for that matter. But here they were, on a pirate ship, doing god knows what. Elizabeth, clearly terrified, couldn't look away from his eyes. But she managed to get up her courage...

"I am here to–" She began. Then Bosun moved to slap her, causing Roxanne to growl dangerously, her eyes flashing a bright amber for a moment.

"You'll speak when spoken to!" He growled, but his wrist was grabbed, painfully, by Barbossa, who twisted it.

"And you'll not lay a hand on those under the protection of parlay!" He growled to Bosun.

"Aye, sir." He grumbled, and Barbossa released him. Turning to Elizabeth, he smiled, showing off his silver and gold teeth.

"My apologies miss. As you were saying, before you were so rudely interrupted?" Elizabeth straightened in response.

"Captain Barbossa... I have come to negotiate the cessation of hostilities against Port Royal. Barbossa looked impressed, and amused.

"There was a lot of long words in there, miss, and we're not but humble pirates. What is it you want?" He asked, making Roxanne raise an eyebrow.

"She wants you to stop pillaging Port Royal and take your business elsewhere." Roxanne chimed in helpfully. Barbossa and the pirates laughed, and Elizabeth frowned.

"I am disinclined to acquiesce to your request." He said, looking back at his men, some of whom looked very confused... "Means' No. '" Elizabeth glanced at Roxanne worriedly. The Mermaid sighed, looking up at the captain with her glinting brown eyes.

"Very well." She slipped the medallion off, turned to the side rail, and dangled it over the edge, gods she hoped she was right. The pirates went quiet, eyes narrowed. "I'll drop it!" Elizabeth stared at her, eye twitching.

"My holds are bursting with swag." Barbossa mused, raising an eyebrow. "That bit of shine matters to me... Why?" He said, and Roxanne smirked.

"Fine. I suppose if this is worthless, there's no reason to keep it." She shrugged, letting the medallion slip.

"NO!" Barbossa surged forward. She caught it by the chain, and smiled at him triumphantly, He sighed, and glared at her. "You have a name, missy?"

"Roxanne –"She paused. "Turner... Roxanne Turner. I'm a maid at the governor's household, and this is Elizabeth, she's a maid as well." She lied through her teeth and curtseyed, Elizabeth quickly followed her example. Barbossa frowned at the name Turner: it confirmed what he had suspected. The other pirates surreptitiously exchanged glances and nods.

"You've got sand, for a maid." He said, nodding to them both.

"Thank you, sir." Elizabeth said.

"And how does a maid come to own a trinket such as that? A family heirloom, perhaps?" He asked Roxanne, who made a face.

"Of course!" She said, pulling off her best offended voice, gods she was good at this. "I didn't steal it, if that's what you mean."

"No, no, nothing like that." He said, mulling over his thoughts. "Very well. You hand that over, we'll put your town to our rudder and ne'er return." He smirked, and Roxanne narrowed her eyes, feeling like she forgot something.

"Can we trust you?" Elizabeth asked.

"It's you who invoked the parlay!" Barbossa snapped, and looked to Roxanne. "Believe me, Miss, you'd best hand it over, now... Or these be the last friendly words you'll hear!" Roxanne hesitated, but she had no choice. She held out the medallion. He grabbed it, clutching it in his fist.

"Our bargain..?" Elizabeth said, frowning. Barbossa grinned devilishly, but then nodded to the Bosun.

"Still the guns boys, and stow 'em! Signal the men, set the flags, and make good to clear port!" Bosun barked out orders. For the first time since the attack began, the booming of the guns ceases. Elizabeth is surprised and relieved. The pirates hustle to follow orders. Barbossa turns away.

Then, Elizabeth realized something. "Wait! You must return us to shore! According to the rules of the Order of the Brethren-" Barbossa spun around to smirk at her.

"First. Your return to shore was not part of our negotiations nor our agreement, and so I 'must' do nothing. Secondly: you must be a pirate for the pirate's code to apply. And you're not. And thirdly... The code is more what you'd call guidelines than actual rules." He grinned gold and silver. "Welcome aboard the Black Pearl, Miss Turner, Miss Elizabeth." Elizabeth stared at him in speechless terror while Roxanne groaned inwardly. So that's what she had forgotten . Damn... Nonetheless, feeling a little more than resigned, she turned to the ocean once more, letting the breeze soothe her frenzied mind.

This most certainly would be an adventure.