Nora Raven in At World's End

Finding Answers

Sao Feng's men guarded Barbossa, Will, Elizabeth and I, with the rest of the crew shackled. Mercer and a crew of sailors fanned out on the ship. The sailors began preparations to sail. One tried to take the wheel from Huang. Sao Feng and Will intercepted Mercer.

"My men are crew enough." Sao Feng assured.

"Company ship, company crew." Mercer smirked.

Will glared at Sao Feng. "You agreed the Black Pearl was to be mine."

"And so it was." He stated.

Sao Feng gestured to one of his pirates, who punches Will in the stomach. He keeled over in pain and I ran holding him up. "Will!" I shrieked, worried.

I put my hand on his face and looked at him. He was coming around, as I glared at the men who shackled him.

"Beckett agreed the Black Pearl was to be mine." Sao Feng said, expectantly to Mercer.

"Lord Beckett's not about to give up the only ship than can outrun the Dutchman, is he?" He laughed.

"Shame they're not bound to honor the code of the Brethren, isn't it? Because honor's a hard thing to come by nowadays." Barbossa commented.

"There is no honor to remaining with the losing side. Leaving it for the winning side is just good business." He confirmed.

"The losing side, you say?" Barbossa mocked.

"They have the Dutchman. Now the Pearl! And what do the Brethren have?"

"We have... Calypso." He smirked.

Sao Feng looked at Elizabeth, and scoffed. "Calypso. An old legend."

"No. The goddess herself, bound in human form. Imagine, all the power of the seas brought to bear against our enemy. I intend to release her, and for that I need the Brethren Court." Barbossa picked up Sao Feng's necklace. "All the court."

"What are you proposing, captain?" He inquired.

"What be ye accepting, captain?" Barbossa questioned.

He stared at Elizabeth. "The girl."

"What?" Elizabeth and I said in unison.

Will glared. "Elizabeth is not part of any bargain."

"Out of the question." Barbossa objected.

"Was not a question!" Sao Feng demanded.

"Done." She stated.

"What? Not done!" Will argued.

"You got us into this mess, if this is what frees us, then done!" She glared at him.

"Undone!" I yelled.

She gave me a knowing look. I sighed narrowing my eyes at her, then looked at Sao Feng. I walked up to him and put my pistol to his head, ignoring weapons pointed at me. I cocked it, making eye contact.

"You best not harm her, or I will put you in a cage with animals to gnaw away at you, while you watch and accept your fate. Savvy?" I threatened with an innocent smile.

Will looked at her. "Elizabeth, they're pirates." He worried.

She pushed him angrily. "I have had more than enough experience dealing with pirates!" She fumed.

I sighed and knew she had grown strong. She knew what she was doing. We had to believe in her. I hugged Elizabeth and whispered in her ear. "I hope you know what your doing."

"I do." She whispered.

"Then, we have an accord?" Barbossa agreed.

Elizabeth followed Sao Feng and his crew back to the Empress. Barbossa and the crew went fighting to take back the ship. I heard a commotion from the Endeavour and looked through my telescope.

I saw Jack setting up something with a rope and a cannon. I watched as he put an army figurine in the mouth. It was most likely Bennett's.

Jack lit the cannon, which fired, pulling the rope he held and vaulted him over the gap between the ships. I put my telescope away and shook my head smiling.

He was screaming while being swung, bit stopped and landed on the stern
I smiled and ran to him. The others ran to the opposite end of the ship, looking for Jack out of worry.. Barbossa looked up at the lanterns on the Pearl's stern and saw Jack leaning against one of them.

"And that was without even a single drop of rum." He jumped down and looked at me. "Tell me you didn't miss me."

Barbossa rolled his eyes and stalked away.

Pintel and Ragetti grabbed hold of Will, and Jack glared at him in the face. "Send this pestilent, traitorous, cow-hearted, yeasty codpiece to the brig."

I sighed and went to the captain quarters. I found an entry from the lover of Cortés. She wrote half of a page.

I am with child of Cortés, and my father does not approve do this man. I have decided to run away with him. I leave my duties of the throne to my brother, Tupoc. I shall miss my family and the people of Embrosa, but this is for the best.

There was another entry that was a full page.

This hurts me to say, but I do not know who he is. He changed and became relentless. My people gave him 101 pieces of gold to stop slaughtering them. He wanted more. The gods cursed the treasure and made it, so any person to take a piece would be forever undead, until a blood debt was repaid. I have taken a piece for he will not be able to hurt me. I will forever be dead. I am sure to have the children soon. I am with two children. After have these babies, I am giving them to Tupoc. I will give him the Medallion and he can give it to the child that is able to care for the secret. He would love them the way needed. I have someone to lock me away, while the curse still affects me. When the curse is lifted my song will lead them to the family's most treasured secret. I only want them to be happy and the generations to come.

There is one last entry of her left. It is short.

I have given birth to twins, a boy and girl. I named the girl, Zaniyah Cortés. She is the most beautiful thing in the world. Her brother is the most handsome in the world. I named him, Izel Cortés. They are given my journal and have the Medallion with a letter about what is happening. I shall be buried on my island.

I got tears in my eyes and smiled. I guess sincerity, gentleness and compassion runs in the family.

I went to the bed and fell asleep with Frida in her usual spot, on the pillow above my head.