Found

(Yay! Chapter one is here. Enjoy!)



Chapter One



I remember the day well. In my mind I think of it as the first day of my free life. I woke up like every other day; on the floor in the small room they kept the wenches and slaves. There were two wenches and three slaves, and our room was tiny.



As usual the slaves had already left to go to work by the time I awoke. I looked around the windowless, small wooden room lit only by one small candle. The other wench, a girl named Kathryn, was beside me, shivering in her sleep. Her bones jutted out underneath her thin, old yellow dress. And on her exposed skin you could see the visible scars and bruises. I knew my appearance must look the same. I sighed and shook my head. No one should suffer this injustice.



The door opened slowly and one of the slaves came in with two buckets. One was all the leftover food, the other was our daily ration of fresh water. He silently poured the bucket of food over leaving the scraps of bread, spiced meat, gravy, and dried fruit for us to eat. After that he placed the half full bucket of water in the room and left.



As whores we were the last to get to eat or drink. This was the way it was; sometimes we went for days without food when the supply was short, other times the water they gave up was so little, Kathryn and I only got two gulps each for an entire day.



I shoved Kathryn awake. Her eyes fluttered open. She attempted a smile but failed as she crawled over to the food to eat. We both devoured the food in front of us; I knew this would most likely be the only meal we got that day, or maybe the last one for awhile. We never knew.



The food was like heaven. Even though everything was mixed together in a jumble of flavors, anything on our palates was amazing. As we continued to eat we were oblivious to the fact that the ship was being followed.



Before the meal was finished we heard a crash of wood and metal outside our door somewhere. I looked up and tried to listen but Kathryn didn't care and finished the food on the floor. I didn't care; she needed more than I did anyway. She had been owned by the captain longer, her body weary from starvation and constant beatings. She had recently become ill too, an almost certain death sentence.



I heard another crash, then screams and shouts from outside the door. I could hear our door being locked and someone saying "Bloody Pirates!"



That got Kathryn's attention.



"Pirates!" I gasped out, my voice hoarse from under use. "Maybe we can make a deal wif' 'em to be on their crew"



"If we ever get moved to a pirate ship, mark my words it'll be more o' the same." Kathryn rasped darkly.



"A gal can dream." I said, crestfallen, knowing she was right.



We heard the battle rage on outside the door with our ears pressed against it. After only 20 minutes the battle had died down. I heard a gruff, deep English voice shout "The ship is ours, men! Go find whatever booty you can!"



I felt conflicted. The pirates won, and we'd fall into their possession. I didn't know if this would be better or worse. I scooted myself to the wall farthest from the door dragging Kathryn with me knowing that the pirates would soon break down the door.



A few seconds later I was proven right by someone cracking the door right in two. We looked up to see a rather large muscled black man looking down on us.



"What have we here?" he said in a thick accent.



*Barbossa's POV*



"What have we here?" I heard Bo'sun say into a room.



I was curious as to what he found so interesting, hardly anything gets any reaction out of Bo'sun. He didn't go into the room; rather two women came out of the room.



My breath caught in my throat. Two walking skeletons came out. The red headed one holding up the blonde one as best she could. They were both barefoot and had bruises on every visible part of the body. They were wearing old ripped dresses and judging by the way they were both looking only at their feet they were whores.



Despite being stick skinny and bruised everywhere, I couldn't help but notice just how beautiful the red head was. She let her gray eyes drift up to mine and I almost audibly gasped at the pain and sadness I saw through them.



A wave of anger ripped through my cursed body. I may be a black hearted man but I hated to see women treated with disrespect.



"Hello, Ladies." I said bowing slightly to the women. The blonde stared at her feet, still clinging to the red head.



The red head took a few moments then spoke slowly. "Hello" she whispered, fear shining in her eyes.



"My name is Captain Barbossa!" I said proudly. "What be your names?"



"I-I'm Isabella, Sir." The red head stuttered out. "And this is Kathryn." She continued as the blonde looked at her feet and made no move to answer me.



"Well, Men, what shall we do with these two, fine women?" I asked. Not completely knowing what I wanted to do with them myself. Knew I wanted to keep the red head as my own, but I wanted a lass with spirit.



I looked to observe my men's reactions. They all seemed at a loss; it had been over 9 years since any of us has even been in the presence of a woman.



There was silence, for once none of my crew had an opinion. The girls both looked around at the crew scattered around the deck not quite knowing what to do.



Finally after several moments the red head spoke. "Sir, Captain, Please if I may..." She started. I nodded for her to continue. "I... I was hoping that, just maybe, you'd let us join your crew, sir." She said nervously.



Laughs broke out from my men and I held up my hand to silence them. Sure I wanted her to be aboard my ship but still... "Missy, I do not need half starved women on me ship." I said firmly.



"Sir, please. I know I may look small. But I'll work hard. I'm a fast learner, and I'd be about willing to do anything you'd need from me. I'm sure Kathryn will do the same once she's back to proper health." She said, pleading in her eyes.



I smiled, so, her spirit wasn't completely gone, Might as well make her work for it though. "Well, Miss Isabella That be a good argument. I'll let you both in on one condition." I said.



"Anything." She said in a whisper.



"I want you to fight me, in sword combat. If you can touch me with your sword, I'll let you in my crew. If I touch you, however, I'll kill you. I'll go a bit easy on ye of course." I said as her eyes got big.



I saw a resolve flicker across her face and a menace sweep through her eyes. "I will be fighting for both me and Kathryn right?" She asked. I nodded and Bo'sun came forward with a plundered sword for her to use. She held it with an ease that surprised me.



She placed her feet in a defensive stance, readying her sword.



I lunged at her sword, she blocked me easily and we continued to fight. I was relying on my strength that usually I could overpower my opponents, of course I wasn't going too hard on her, this whole deal was just to make sure she could handle a blade. But she had speed by the likes I had never seen. Her size allowed her to dodge when I would strike against her, more often then not it missed by an inch or less.



"Arr, Missy, you're better than I thought ye'd be." I said as our swords clashed.



"Don't call me Missy!" She shouted with anger dancing in her eyes. I smirked, I had gotten her angry.



Our swords danced for 15 minutes more, and I knew I had her. It was a shame to let this one go when she was so-



"I win!" She said matter of factly as the broad part of her blade smacked me in the leg. She had fallen down and rolled under me and had won.



I looked at her astonished. That was a dangerous and risky move that she pulled. "That was quite a gamble there, Miss Isabella." I said to her.



She looked up from her position on the deck. "Well, I had nothing to lose." She said. Her eyes were bright from the physical exertion and sweat covered her brow, she looked beautiful. 'Just when I thought the lust couldn't get any worse' I thought to myself.



"Well then, Welcome to me crew, both of you!" I Shouted. Kathryn looked stunned. The entire crew was on the decks at this point and was nervously looking from me to her. I held out my hand and Isabella took it slowly. The men who had come up before the rules of the match were set were now looking royally confused. I pulled Isabella up and she found her feet.



"Men, take whatever booty you have to our ship, you know the drill!" My men all scurried away and I grabbed Isabella's arm. She looked up at me with questions in her eyes. "Bo'sun, Our new crewmembers must be tired, take them to the Pearl to get some rest."



"Aye, sir!" he replied and took the girls back over to the Pearl. They went with him as they took a rope and swung to the ship.



Once the girls were asleep I had my crew meet me on deck of the Pearl to discuss protocol with two females aboard, but of course once we all got together everyone started talking at once.



"Why did you let her win?"



"What about the curse?"



"Are they for work, or play?"



"Enough!" I said loud enough to quiet everyone down. "Now, Those girls are part of our crew now, there be no funny business with either of 'em, I want you all to treat them how you would want to be treated. I let her win and come to our crew because she has spirit, and I think she'll make a good addition to your smelly lot, and same for the blonde once we get 'er back to health. I want you to treat them as if they've been here forever. I think they'll be sympathetic to our curse seein' as they've been starvin' themselves by the looks o' things." I said loudly and firmly. A chorus of "Aye" was heard from the crew.



"Captain, maybe... maybe we should let the healthy one settle in for a few days before we set her to work." I heard Ragetti say.



The whole crew gave him a funny look.



"Well, I mean, she's still so skinny, the work here can be hard and back breaking. Let her gets used to things, and maybe fatten her up o' bit. Then we can give her a full load." He continued, feeling he had to defend himself.



I gave him a hard look. "What be the reason for all this sympathy?" I asked.



"Well, it's just, when I was a lad me little sister got the fever and died... and I swear, that girl looks just like if my sister had grown up." He said, looking at his feet the whole time. Pintel put his hand on his shoulder for comfort.



I gave him a funny look. "You're a pirate, Ragetti! Pirates do not talk about their feelings. But if the crew doesn't have a problem with the girl getting settled in I don't see why not. Anyone here have a problem with the girl settling in before we give her duties?" I asked everyone.



There was a chorus of "No, Sir" From the crew, Ragetti seemed pleased.



"Alright then, Get back to work then you cockroaches!" I yelled and everyone scrambled to do their duties. I smiled to myself; hopefully the healthy girl will fit into my plans.



(Hmmm... I wonder what plans Barbossa has for Bella, and I wonder if they're honorable)