Rose of the Sea

Tia Dalma

Jack's POV:

My heart hammers against my rib cage as I watch Bri turn her back to me and dive off the Pearl, but I simply turn to Will and Gibbs. 

"Let's put as much distance between us and this island, and make for open sea!" Gibbs says eagerly to me.

"Yes to the first, and yes to the second, but only so far as we keep to the shallows as much as possible," I reply, ignoring his confused face.

"That seems a bit contradictory, Cap'n."

I clap him on the shoulder, smiling. "I have every faith in your reconciliatory navigational skills, Mr. Gibbs." He nods and steps up to the helm while I pull out my pistol, grumbling.

"Where's that monkey. I want to shoot something." I spin around trying to spot him in the rigging, but come face to face with young William.

"Jack, Elizabeth is in danger." He states with a sense of urgency in his voice.

"Have you considered keeping a more watchful eye on her? Maybe just lock her up somewhere?"

"She is locked up." He grumbles. "In prison. Bound to hang, for helping you."

I stop and turn around to face him. "Last I heard it was Mrs. Norrington who would be most likely to go to the noose."

"Mrs. Norrington?"

I nod, jerking my head toward the Pearl's main mast. "Aye, the woman who just threw 'at sword into my boat."

Will shifts his weight between his feet. "She and the Commodore never married. Besides, James left Port Royal over a month ago."

I step towards him, my brow furrowing. "So what's to protect Bri now that she's going back to Port Royal?"

"Absolutely nothing. Drew made a deal with Cutler Beckett. That compass of yours will save both her and Elizabeth."

I cross my arms. "You said Bri made a deal. If you get the compass and rescue your bonny lass... again. Where's Bri's profit? Or mine?"

He bites his lip, fidgeting. "As I said, Drew will be saved from the noose. As for you, I will deliver you the Letters of Marque. You will be granted a full pardon, and commissioned as a privateer in service to England."

"Accepting those things is what you want me to do for you. Agreed. But what will you do for me?"

Will considers it for a moment before answering. "Anything."

I smirk at him. "Gibbs," I call over my shoulder. "We have a need to travel upriver. "

He looks at me uneasily. "By need do you mean a slight need, fleeting, a trifling thing as a passing fancy?"

"No, a resolute and unyielding need."

Grumbling, Gibbs spins the wheel to our new heading.

Will looks at me, his frustration obviously growing. "What we need to do is follow Drew and sail to Port Royal... With all haste! We might catch her yet!"

I turn to look at him, huffing. "William. I will trade you the compass if you help me to find this." I show him the key drawing.

"You want me to find this?"

"No, you want you to find this." I reply "Because the finding of this finds you incapacitatorially finding and or locating your discovering or detecting of a way to save your donny belle ol' what's her face."

"So this will help me save Elizabeth?"

I lean in towards him. "How much do you know about Davy Jones?"