In the Hands of Fate II: Dead Man's Chest

Chapter five

"On deck you scabrous dogs!" I yelled as Scarletta and I left the captain's cabin of the Gypsy Curse the next morning after planning our course. The crew, most of which I recognized, all grouped on deck moments later. "Listen up! We've a pressing need to return to the island what houses the Pelegostos. I want to be there within the morn."

The crew simply stared at me, some in awe, some in anger.

"Aye, ye heard the captain," Scarletta called out, falling into the part of first mate quiet easily. "Snap to, or it'll be ye what is fed to the Pelegostos!"

They scattered like roaches with a flame held to them. Scarletta went up to the helm where a beautiful blonde woman stood. She was wearing a heavy violet dress and a braided wreath of flowers on her head. A total contradiction to the ship.

"Oi!" I called up to them. "What be her doing on my ship?"

"Oh, calm yourself, Lulu. Juliette is Scarletta's girl." I smiled at the man that stood beside me.

"Kyle Church. I haven't seen you since…" I stopped when I realized where I was. No one, other than Kyle of course on account of Ky being Nate's brother, knew I was ever married.

Kyle nodded. "I know, it still gets me from time to time as well."

"I'm a pirate, dragoste. I shouldn't be so afectiv."

Kyle rolled his eyes and walked away. I turned to Will who had found his place beside me. "My first mate has turned my Curse into a damn queer ship."

"Captain," Juliette said as she pointed to the island.

I drew my spyglass and looked. The Pearl was beached. "Found ya, dragoste."

Will and I boarded a longboat and rowed to shore.

"Jack!" I called. "Jack Sparrow!"

"Marty! Cotton!" Will exclaimed. "Anybody?"

We wandered into the jungle, keeping our eyes open for any sign of anyone really. It wasn't long before Cotton’s parrot landed in front of us.

"Ah. A familiar face," I sighed.

"Squawk! Don't eat me."

"We're not going to eat you," Will said.

"Don't eat me. No. Don't eat me."

"Will," I whispered. "Parrots repeat what they hear."

He drew his sword and started to hack his way through the jungle. Out of the corner of my eye I spotted Gibbs' flask dangling from a string. I tapped Will's shoulder and pointed.

"Gibbs," he whispered as he picked it up.

We followed the string for a little ways until it stopped near a large tree.

"Ragh!" the tree screamed.

I screamed and placed a hand over my heart as Will was dragged up and hung by his ankle. The natives came out of hiding wielding spears.

Will unsheathed his cutlass and waved it around until a young boy shot a dart into his neck. He fainted within seconds.

"Parley?" I murmured, raising my hands.

They cut my companion down and tied him to a bamboo pole, while they simply tied my hands together. The fleeting joy of being a woman.

They led me over various bridges and through a small village until they stopped at small gathering spot.

One of my captors spoke in his language to a man sitting on a throne. It only took me a second to recognize Jack.

Jack looked down to Will, who finally came to then.

"Jack? Jack Sparrow!" Will exclaimed. "I can honestly say I'm glad to see you."

Jack face showed no emotion as he stood and poked Will's shoulder. His eye's seemed to smile as he looked to me. He turned to the natives and said something to them. They responded and before Jack could reply, Will called out to let him down.

Jack spoke again and placed his head dangerously close to Will ass. I bit my lip as I knew what was coming next.

"Lom say say eunuchy. Snip, snip."

Jack straightens and walked back to his throne as the native murmured.

"Jack, the compass. That's all I need," Will called out. "Elizabeth is in danger. We were arrested for helping you. She faces the gallows."

Jack stopped but didn't turn around.

"Jack, they have my family. My little sister and my four-year-old niece, whom I've only met fleetingly are facing death unless we return with that compass."

Jack quickly walked back and hurriedly spoke to the Natives, who exclaimed the last thing Jack said.

"Save me," Jack whispered as we were hauled away.

"Why would he do this to us?" Will wondered. He and I had been placed into cages dangling over a chasm with the rest of the crew of the Pearl. "If Jack is the chief…"

"Aye," Gibbs answered, "the Pelegostos made Jack their chief, but he only remains chief as long as he acts like a chief."

"So he had no choice," I explain. "He's a captive as much as the rest of us."

"Worse, as it turns out," Gibbs contradicted. "See, the Pelegostos believe that Jack is a god in human form, and they intend to do him the honor of releasing him from his fleshy prison."

"They're going to eat him," I say, my voice level. "Where's the rest of the crew?"

"These cages we're in weren't built till after we got here."

I remove my hand from the cage and wiped it on my breeches.

"The feast is about to begin. Jack's life will end when the drums stop."

"Well, we can't just sit here and wait, then, can we?" I asked. I pointed to the cliffs. "If we can get enough momentum going and can find footholds over there we can climb up, cut the rope and find a way to break the cage."

"Good thinking, Miss Luna," Gibbs tells me.

It was mainly just a lot of shifting our weight back and forth until we latched on to the roots, vines and grass protruding from the rocks.

"Put your legs through and start to climb!" Gibbs ordered.

"Come on men! It’ll take all of us to crew the Black Pearl!" Will yelled.

"Actually," I corrected. "You wouldn't need every one. 'Bout six will do."

The cages stop as the occupants of both look to each other.

Damn, me and my big mouth….

A/N: afectiv – emotional