Chapter Four
I groaned, folding my arms under my head. Charting a course was simply tedious, why couldn't I get Eric or Nina or someone else to do it for me?
The smell of moldy parchment assaulted my nose as I pressed my face into the mass of papers and ink splotches on my desk; the desk that Jack Sparrow used to sit at and procrastinate just like me, his daughter.
I opened my eyes a crack, glaring at the map of the Pacific, before shoving it aside (everything went tumbling to the floor) and lifting the top of the desk.
Jack had told me the entire story, narrating with sweeping gestures and such, of the time when he had hidden a slave in the secret cavity inside his desk. I used the large space for hiding things I didn't want anyone to find, such as my teddy bear (which I hadn't coddled in years, mind you) myself, and, currently, my investigative notes.
I snatched up the leather bound notebook, untying the ribbon that kept it clamped shut and letting it fall open on the tabletop.
Adeena Sparrow, ne Cole, was killed the day after she appointed a tenth pirate lord.
The same day, she and Jack Sparrow passed on their Pieces of Eight to Jacqueline Sparrow, making her Lord of two seas.
Therefore, there are now Nine Pirate Lords as tradition dictates.
It can be inferrd that Adeena Sparrow knew of her and Jack Sparrow's incoming demise.
I bit my lip, staring at that last notation. Why was it hitting so hard now, of all times?
I knelt and retrieved a quill from the mess on the floor, then my inkwell from a drawer. I inscribed another paragraph, and then another:
Captain Taylor Sutcliff is the successor to the newly appointed Pirate Lord; he is Lord of the Red Sea. His inheritance is a bit shady, but he claims the old Lord was marooned.
He also claims to have met Adeena Sparrow. His recount of their meeting supports the previous theory.
I frowned, glancing over my writings. This was no help at all, really.
This is only stating facts. Someone, unknown to me, killed my parents. I leaned over the desk, gazing intently at the grain of the wood. I get the feeling that this is important, now. That someone is going to resurface and throw a knife into my plans, or my improvisation.
Who is a suspect? I tucked the leather notebook away again, sitting crosslegged on the floor, picking up the mess of charts. Thinking about all these confusing things made me feel very important. No one is suspicious yet. But if this continues, someone will be...
I blinked. How convenient this was, occurring exactly when the Brethren Court met...
But none of the Pirate Lords seemed guilty. Ai Fan hated me, but that, perhaps, had to do with Hector Barboussa. But, her detest of me was not reason to suspect her.
Taylor Sutcliff? I frowned, standing and dropping to stack of parchment onto the desk. "He has no motive..." I murmured, grabbing my coat and pulling it on as I made my way onto the deck. I rather liked him. It would be disappointing if he turned out to be a cold blooded killer.
"Nina!" I barked, seeing her nearby. She stopped, and reluctantly turned. A bottle of that horrid drink she called vodka swung from her side. "Could you alert the crew for me? We leave tomorrow."
She looked disappointed. "But Captain..."
I raised my eyebrows.
"Fine," She snapped, spinning on her heel and storming past me, toward the stairwell leading below decks. I rolled my eyes at her antics, continuing on my way.
A glance at the opaque water beneath the hull sparked a thought. Elizabeth Meyers. Her mysterious problem with her ships' disappearances, and then their horrific state when found, was also happening right around now...
I smiled wryly. We were heading for the Pacific Ocean, regardless of the danger that awaited.
I pranced up to the helm. There was no one manning the wheel, as we were docked. So no one was there to stop me when I jumped up and grabbed the string connected to the bell.
The clamoring brought everyone out on deck in a mass of limbs, panic, and shouting. A few had their hands grasping at the hilts of their swords.
I leaned over the railing. "Oi! We aren't under attack, don't get your panties in a bunch."
Many eyes glared at me before they relaxed, adjusting their clothes to cover their weapons. I beamed, highly amused.
"I have decided on our destination," I announced. "I'm sure Nina has informed you that we will be vacating Shipwreck Cove tomorrow."
I was met with groans and complaints. Bloody pirates.
"How about this: we'll stop at Tortuga the way back, eh?" I tried, smiling. They perked up. "But our ultimate objective cannot be lost sight of!"
"Get on with it, ye bloody whelp!" Someone called.
"Speak for yourself, mate," I shouted back. "Anyhow, we'll be setting off for the Pacific Ring of Fire tomorrow."
I was met with a heady silence. They all began complaining at once, cussing and yelling and suggesting things that weren't physically possible, all in the name of fear.
"Can it, you ninnies!" I snapped, doing my best to look intimidating. At the raised height, it was easier. Everyone seemed to be taller than me, on even ground. "Are we frightened little redcoats?"
Several murmurs of disagreement reached my ears.
"That's bloody well right!" I said proudly, nodding with approval. "We are not the redcoated, jelly-legged, Navy! We are ruddy pirates, and we are more than swords and thieving and ruthless!" I glared down at them. "We are also the bravest cockroaches these waters will ever see. So if any of you don't have the courage to travel the distance with your mates and our lovely Black Pearl," My fingers caressed her wood, "Then you don't belong on our ship!"
I had kickstarted their enthusiasm; most looked riled up and ready to pillage a ship or two. Yes, we'd do that as well, along the way, if the moment arose.
When the ruckus has dampened somewhat, I spoke again. "And I am deadly serious. Is there any flea-bitten coward here who wishes to remain in port?" I scanned the crew of misfits. "I won't hold it against you. I plan on doing everything possible to put myself in danger, just as usual."
I beamed when no one moved. I did, though, receive comments regarding my lack of faith in them, laced with curses and vows.
"Excellent! Well, off you go, enjoy your final day," I smiled, waving them off and trotting down the stairs. There was a course waiting to be charted, dammit.
Eric met me in the center of the deck. I smiled, gesturing for him to follow. I'd have him chart it for me! "Eric! I have a job for you."
"How can I be of assistance?" He inquired quietly, following me like a shadow. He was a quiet person, wasn't he?
I allowed him to open the door to my cabin for me. "I need your opinion." I said. Partly true. "And you're going to set the course for me, but besides that."
"I can do both of those things." He assured me, and we both stood over the desk. "Shall I ask what you need my opinion on?"
"Yes, you shall," I replied, hopping into the chair and crouching. "On two things. Firstly, should we actually bother stopping at Tortuga? And secondly..." I drew a breath. Sliding the leather notebook toward him, I smiled easily, leaning back and appearing, I'm sure, more innocent than a handful of seaweed. "I've started my own investigation. Perhaps you would honor me by assisting?"
He undid the twine holding the book closed, then peeled it open. His bright eyes raked the page before glancing up at me. "This is hardly an investigation."
I rolled my eyes, tapping the page he was faced with. "Yes, but, doesn't it seem suspicious? You cannot sit there and tell me I am not on to something because I am never wrong and this is fishy!"
He smiled. "Very fishy. Is this why we are headed for the Pacific?"
I nodded, beads clicking. "Elizabeth Meyers, do you remember her?" He nodded, and I continued. "Her wrecks and deaths have risen in number the past month. I find it odd that it's happening now -- when this is all happening."
"Perhaps you're on to something." He humored me, dragging the map to him and grabbing a quill, along with a protractor and ruler. He began measuring and making calculations, marking the parchment every so often. "The crew surprisingly didn't ask questions."
I grinned. "I distracted them with my speech, didn't I? And," My smirk morphed into a smile. "They'll follow me to the end." I finished fondly.
Silence fell, and the only semblance of a sound was the scratch of a quill against paper and the tap of a ruler. I stood, stretching slightly and pacing toward the bed. "How long will that take you?"
"Well, if I had an exact location to deliver us to..."
"Oh, that could be useful. Wait here, Eric, I shall return!"
He made a small noise of acknowledgement as I walked briskly from the cabin.
"Is that Tip?" I asked no one in particular, spotting a small pirate with a shock of bleached hair climb out of the stairwell. "Tip!"
Tip kept walking, obviously ignoring me by the stiff look on his face. Baka.
"Tip, I'll cut your pay!" I called, louder.
He turned, acting as if he hadn't heard me. "Yes, cap'n?" Tip asked innocently. "I hadn't heard you." Tip was only ten or eleven, and was one of our best top men. He climbed the rat lines like some sort of monkey.
"I'll believe that when you grow an inch or so, squirt," I said, smacking the side of his head. "You're going to do me a favor."
"Aye, aye," He muttered moodily.
"Good boy." I said, grinning. "Run along to the Retriever, will you? I need you to ask Commodore Meyers where exactly her ships are disappearing, and if she asks why, tell her I am curious. Oh, tell her what ship you call your berth, too."
"Aye, aye," He said, a bit brighter. And in the blink of an eye he had disappeared. He was the fastest in the Caribbean, I tell you.
I returned to the cabin, grinning. "We shall know in a moment," I told Eric, falling onto the bed again. "I sent Tip."
"Oh, we'll know in thirty seconds." He smiled, gazing at the parchment. By the look in his eyes, I knew he was thinking. "Have you considered asking Taylor Sutcliff where his ships tend to occupy?"
I turned over, pressing my face into the blanket that was stained and permeated with the scent of salt. "Hm? No." It came out muffled.
"Why not?" He suggested. "He seems to be a part of this, and there isn't a reason to believe him innocent."
I huffed. "I like him. I'd rather he not be a mass murderer."
"We've all killed people."
"Don't remind me."
That disturbing train of thought flew out the window as my cabin door banged open. "Cap'n!" Tip cried, sounding triumphant.
I waved toward Eric, grunting. The patter of feet reached my ears.
"Mister Eric!" He said instead. "I got the place!"
Eric thanked him, and they exchanged news. Tip was so excited to be useful. I hadn't realized I was smiling into my pillow until I sat up.
"Tip," I said. "I would like to speak with my first mate, would you mind?"
He scowled my way. "I would," He said. "But it's fine." With that he bolted away.
I scoffed. "Boys...whatcha got?" I leaned over his shoulder.
"She wasn't kidding when she said Ring of Fire," Eric said, frowning. "We'll be directly in the heat of it." He smiled at his own wordplay.
"Bloody hilarious, you are," I said. "Well, we'll be halfway there by tomorrow."
He raised his eyebrows. "I'm not sure even the Pearl can cover that much distance in so little time."
"Of course she can." I stepped back, smiling vacantly. "The Black Pearl has wings."