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

Chapter Nine

I ended up leaning against the railing of the ship watching the eerily quiet sea, thinking of everything I've learnt the past four months. My magic was beyond the normal for a gypsy, I knew this, embraced it even. So could it be possible for me to be Saint Sarah? No. I would know. Wouldn't I?

Okay, so maybe there's a slight chance I could be. Tia Dalma has never been wrong, and she said I was. But there's a first for everything right?

And if I were to be the Goddess of Fate, wouldn't I remember my past life? Wouldn't I know who I was?

But then why does every inch of my body scream that I am? That it makes sense?

In the distance, a group of dolphins jumped in the water. Three in particular stuck out. They were grouped together and always stuck close. A family, I surmised.

Oh, how I wanted that. It's was my deepest dream to live that life. The life of a normal English woman. To have a husband who came home to read his children a story well pass their bedtime, because I promised them that they could say goodnight to their father. To have a home to call my own, a place to settle down with the love of my life. While I had that once, it was obviously too good to last.

I had to be cursed. And worse, even if I did manage to break the curse, it'd be to no avail. I managed to fall in love with someone whose only true love happens to be the sea.

"Beat that Calypso! At least he loved you back!"

My voice echoed back to me. An empty, hollow sound.

I glanced down at my hands as they clasped and unclasped. Damn, the ring was still there.

"Beautiful creatures aren't they?"

Startled, I nearly jumped overboard. I turned to see who stood behind me. Not that his voice wasn't a dead giveaway. I placed a hand over my racing heart and took a deep breath. "Jack, you can't do that to me."

"Do what, love?" he wondered leaning on the railing next to me.

"Scare me. I could've hurt you," I mumbled.

He frowned. "Could not. You haven't a sword, nor a pistol on you."

"I don't have to rely on those petty things any longer," I say with a smile.

"And what does a girl like you have to hurt someone to not have to worry about petty things to protect herself like swords, daggers, and pistols?"

"Magic," I whispered.

"Magic?"

"Oh, yes. During my most recent stay with Tia Dalma, she has helped me reach some of my magic's true potential. Even showing me a few of her own tricks."

"So, the voodoo woman taught you magic?" Jack pondered.

I shook my head. "You've changed, Jackie dragă. And not for the better."

I gave him a slight smile before walking away my head now clouded with even more questions than before.

"Says the woman betraying her best friend!"

Taking in the horrid sights and sounds and smells of the bar, I closed my eyes, sighing heavily. I may not like the last free port, but Tortuga is the closest I've been to home in a long while. Closer to Tia Dalma's place at least.

Just to my right, Gibbs sighed up unsuspecting men. I pitied us really. All of us here. On this rotten planet. It wasn't fair to be used as pawns in someone else's game least of all the ones we didn't know.

To my right leaning in his chair with his feet up, sat Jack as he tried to get his compass to point in a single direction. I'd offer my help but I'd much rather watch him get frustrated.

"I know what I want. I know what I want…" he said shaking the compass.

I chuckled, breaking off a leaf from the plant behind me. I began fanning myself, the humid stagnant air in the tavern becoming too much. "Obviously not, otherwise we would have a heading by now."

Jack ignored my outburst and looked to Gibbs fleetingly. "How we going?"

"Including those four?" Gibbs asked.

I sighed. "Patru. It was a good idea, dragă, darse pare că, no one wants to sail with Captain Jack Sparrow."

Jack slammed his compass shut and shook it really hard.

I rolled my eyes and turned to the newest unlucky whelp.

"And what's your story?" Gibbs asked.

"My story," the stranger began, "It's exactly the same as your story just one chapter behind. I chased a man across the seven seas."

Jack snapped his compass shut and looked to the man same time I did. I tried to get a good look at his face.

"The pursuit cost me my crew, my commission, and my life." He reached for the bottle of rum.

"Comodor?" The Romanian word slipped from my mouth as I scooted closer to Gibbs, sounding similar to its English equivalent.

He took a swig from the bottle. "No, not anymore," he sneered, "Weren't you listening?"

Norrington leaned down to us. "I nearly had you all off Tripoli. I would have, if not for the hurricane."

"Doamne dumnezeule, you didn't try to sail through it?" I wondered.

"So, do I make your crew or not?"

I bit my lip. I might not have personally liked the man in front of me, but I respected him. And I did not want to see him at the mercy of a lovesick bastard such as Davy Jones.

"You haven't said where you're going. Somewhere nice!?" He flipped the table sending me and Gibbs into the fireplace behind us.

I recovered quickly, and watched as Jack tried to escape by hiding behind a plant.

"So am I not worthy to serve under Captain Jack Sparrow? Or should I just kill you now?" Commodore wondered as he pulled his pistol on Jack, cocking it.

After a bit of dodging on Jack's part, he announced James was hired.

"Sorry. Old habits and all that."

Two of the four previous hired whelps helped Jack escape by advancing on the ex-navy man. After that the bar went to hell.

Cursing under my breath for forgetting to carry a weapon in with me, I stuck close to Jack.

"Sorry you don't have a weapon now, eh?" Jack mocked.

"Oh, shut it. I can still handle myself."

He picked up a hat off the ground as we climbed the stairs.

"That one doesn't– Oh! –suit you, Jackie," I tell him as I dodge a couple of brawling men.

He traded hats with one and stuck that on his head.

"Nor that one… I miss the old hat. Where's that one?"

"I lost it," he says, switching hat's once again. "Thanks, mate." He barely touched the guy and he flipped off the edge of the balcony.

We continued on only to be stopped by two men about to throw a third. I took the hat and placed it on the third. Stepping back, I motioned for them to continue about their business.

"I think it's best we get outta here before one or all of us get hurt." Gibbs and Jack nodded their approval and we made our way to the Pearl.

A/N: Translation:

partru - four

dragă, dar se pare că - honey, but it seems

Doamne dumnezeule -dear god