Norrington's Darling

Shipwreck Cove

POV: Zuri Norrington

It had been some time since I'd seen the place, but Shipwreck Cove was as grand as ever. A mass of glittering lights and docks, masts rising in the air like trees. I remembered every nook and cranny in the place, every road and every path. I remembered these pirates from my youth. I doubted they'd recognize me now, though I was expected half a dozen catcalls per five minutes. That always happened here.

Jack kept his arm slung over my shoulders as we joined our crew. 

"There's not been a gatherin' like this in our lifetime," said Barbossa, the awe in his voice making me realize the majesty of Shipwreck Cove to people that didn't visit regularly.

"And I owe them all money," exclaimed Jack, reminding me of all the people who did visit regularly, such as the two of us.

"Do you owe Dad money?" I asked as we strode off the ship and onto the nearest available dock. 

"Loads," scoffed Jack. "In fact, I might owe him the most."

"My coffers are empty, don't you dare try to beg me for money."

"I wasn't gonna!"

"Miss Sparrah— Ah. Er..." Barbossa froze. He'd called me that for as long as I remembered. It seemed to be a force of habit. But after James' death, he wasn't sure if he ought to correct himself.

But I steeled my nerves. I would not break. I would be strong. Especially now, especially here. Jack was right. The Court was merciless. Any sign of weakness, they would exploit, and Jack was counting on me to be strong so we could go to war.

"Mrs. Norrington will do, Barbossa," I said quietly. "He may be dead, but he is still my husband."

He tried to smile. "Er...wonderful. I trust you still know the paths of Shipwreck Cove?"

I snorted. "Better than I know my own palm," I promised. "I'm sure everyone is waiting for us inside. I'll find the quickest path. Jack, you're coming with me, I'm gonna rake in a debt and find out about the other Pirate Lords before we get up there."

"Okay!" said Jack, eager to get away from Barbossa, who was glaring daggers at him.

"Oh, and, by the way, Barbossa—don't bother calling yourself the captain of the Black Pearl, Jack and I have the ship by right while we're here." Then Jack and I left him behind, his outrage on his face.

There was a bar not far from the port we'd entered in that I had often visited when I had been a teenager. I had been entertainment, but the type of entertainment that carries a sword and humiliates the men that think they can best me. I did it with a couple of other girls, Anamaria and Angelica Teach being two of them. I had seen Angelica in years, since she and Jack had had their weird romance, and I doubted she'd gone back to the bar.

No man ever knew when they were going to fight me. I was disguised each time and the number of girls who knew how to fight doing this for money helped hide me. Some men I fought repeatedly and bested repeatedly. Others had no idea what they were getting into. It was a quick way to make money. Jack and I had often gotten by on what I made doing it.

But for every fight I won—which was all of them—I gained both money and honor; I also gave the bartender, a man by the name of Leopold, the idea that I could get him out of a jam if necessary. One time I did. Then another. And then six times I had gotten him out of trouble. He owed me for four of those times I'd saved his life.

It was about to be three.

"What are we making someone pay a debt for?"

"I want information on the Pirate Lords that are already here. I want to know allegiances if I can have them."