The Maiden's Lament

The sun was hot in the Caribbean sky, baring down upon all, including William Turner, who leaned far over the railing of the Black Pearl, his golden-brown eyes lost in the ocean’s depths. The wind whipped through William’s dark hair, now grown long from neglect and pulled back in a messy ponytail. William sighed, unintentionally digging his fingernails into the rich reddish wood of the rail. Another hand, this one callused with use, with a large “P” branded into the wrist, overshadowed by a larger tattoo of a bird over open water, gripped the railing next to Will.
“Go easy on the Pearl, mate.” Captain Jack Sparrow said lightly, caressing the railing with a dirty palm. “I haven’t had her back long enough to bear losing her yet.” He grinned in what could only be called a “Sparrow” smile, and patted Will on the back. Will looked away from his friend and shipmate, trying to concentrate on the sea-green of the water, the foam riding the waves, the splashes against the sides of the pristine ship.
“You’re not still hung up about that ruined strumpet, are you?” Jack asked, attempting to look Will in the eye. Will pursed his lips.
“Elizabeth and I were going to be married,” He replied quietly, his eyes glazing over with memory. “It would have been so perfect…” He paused as he remembered that day he’d left the forge early to see his bride-to-be. He’d been told she’d gone to his home, so he’d come to surprise her. Little had he known the surprise he’d receive when he arrived.
“She slept with another man, Will.” Jack said severely, his face suddenly uncharacteristically solemn. “In your own bed, no less. You’re much better off.” William frowned. He remembered the heavy sounds coming from his small chambers near the ocean, walking through the door, seeing his love’s naked body entwined with another man’s, her skin glazed with sweat, her body heaving… the look in her eyes when she realized he was there told him everything. He’d packed his things, sold the forge, and left Port Royal.
“Not everything can be fixed with rum and women, Jack.” Will said, returning his gaze to the deep green-blue of the sea. Jack’s carefree gaze melted for a moment, as he stared at the younger man with pity.
“Speaking of which,” Jack said, suddenly lost from the subject at hand. He turned and swaggered towards the stairs. “Anamaria invited me to share in some of our… stock. Would you care to join us?” He asked. William didn’t answer. Jack sniffed.
“Fine then.” He scoffed. “Suit yourself.” He walked down two steps into the hold and stopped, turning around. “You’re in charge until I get back. Keep her steady southeast; if she strays one bit we’ll be off course in a matter of minutes.” With that, Jack disappeared below-deck. William sighed, and turned his gaze back to the cool depths of the water.

“Ana??” Jack called out into the cabin. He smiled as Anamaria emerged from the stockhold, carrying a bottle of liquor in each hand. Jack’s gaze took in Ana’s shapely legs, then her waist, up to her chest, lingering there for a moment, and then sped to the bottles of coconut rum in her hands.
“Good choice.” He commented, grinning lewdly, and followed her to his private quarters.
Anamaria sat down in one of the two chairs that stood next to the table in Jack’s cabin. Jack sat in the other, and lazily took a bottle from her. They uncorked the bottles simultaneously and drank deep of the liquor within. Jack wiped a grimy shirt-se ove over his lips to soak up the liquid that dribbled down into his beaded beard. Anamaria smiled and walked to her captain, straddling his legs as she sat in his lap. She pressed her hands against Jack’s chest, feeling through the fabric to the scars beneath. Jack pulled the rum reluctantly from his lips, to stat hit his crewmate.
“At least let me finish my rum, love.” He requested.

“Mr. Turner!” William turned to Mr. Gibbs as the blustery old pirate walked towards him on the deck.
“What is it, Gibbs?” William asked boredly. Gibbs pointed ahead of the Pearl, where William could barely see another ship, bobbing in the ocean.
“Care to take a closer look, Sir?” Gibbs asked, handing William a telescope. William sauntered to the front of the ship, looking through the telescope at the ship ahead.
“They’re dead in the water.” He said, a grim smile creeping onto his lips. He put thoughts of Elizabeth out of his mind, focusing on this new endeavor. “I think we may have a sitting duck. Mr. Gibbs? Prepare the men. We’ve got some looting to do.”

Anamaria grinned saucily as she licked along Jack’s neck, enjoying the salty taste of his skin. She’d just decided to bite him when the ship lurched to the side, tipping the both of them off of the chair and onto the hard wooden floor. Ana looked up unceremoniously from the ground, wincing from a bruise now forming on her dark thigh. She noticed with disdain that Jack had sped to the porthole, staring desperately out among the waves.
“What the bloody hell are they doin’ with my ship!?!” He cried, running up the stairs, leaving a very disappointed Anamaria pouting below.

Will grabbed a long rope hanging from the mast as the ship lurched to the side. He watched with mild amusement as the entire crew slid a few feet to the right as he turned the ship sharply towards the halted vessel. The waves pounded against the hull of the Pearl as it skipped over the open water, sprinting towards the other ship, sea-spray pelting the crew. Will grabbed the telescope from Mr. Gibbs and stared through to the ship in his sights. He noticed with curiosity a strange pattern of black flowers painted on the hull of the ship. He looked up to the deck and could make out people going about their daily chores. Little did they know what hell was coming towards them.

“Mr. Gibbs! Pull up right alongside, so we can jump aboard!” Will said. Mr. Gibbs nodded. Will leaned against the mast, watching the ship grow in size as they narrowed the gap. He raised an eyebrow as Jack ran up and grabbed his shoulder, a crazed look in his eyes. William smirked with amusement at the captain’s half open shirt, his trousers around his ankles. His dark-rimmed eyes were wide, and he waved his arms around like he’d had too much drink, which was probably true.
“Turn back! Turn bloody back!” He yelled. William frowned, surprised at the captain’s apprehension, when suddenly he heard a loud, metallic sound. Jack lowered his arms abruptly.
“Bloody hell.”
The crew of the pearl watched in horror as large metal hooks sprung from the side of the supposedly lame ship, latching on with sharp grips to the railing of the pearl. Jack winced as the wood of the railing splintered as the hooks caught hold, wrenching the ship to a stop. The crew of the other ship grabbed ropes and swung onto the Pearl, theeatueatures hidden with long dark cloaks and hoods. He could only watch them as they boarded the ship with fluid ease and grace.
Will drew his sword as one attacker landed in front of him, brandishing their own sword. Will blocked his opponent’s first blow easily, but fell back, punched in the gut by their free hand. He staggered back, but whipped his sword forward. The enemy caught the blade with their own, but Will was ready himself. Jumping back, then forward again, he swept the blade across the attacker’s chest. A startling, very loud- and very female- voice emitted from the attacker, bright blood trickling from the cloak. Will’s eyes widened as he pulled the cape away.
It was a woman. Her skin as pale as milk, splashed with freckles. Her hair, a deep auburn color that Will had never seen before, tumbled out of her hood, glittering like spun garnet in the hot sun. Her eyes were a deep blue-green, the color of the deepest ocean depths. Her white chemise was slit just above her breasts, blood staining the fabric red. Will stared for a moment, surprised at his relief to determine the wound superficial. The woman growled, and kicked. William crossed his eyes and clutched his groin, falling to his knees.
Pistols were clicked ready, swords pointed at throats. Men found themselves unwilling to fight women, or if not, soon learned their mistake, as many men surrendered after brief but brutal beatings. The crew of the Pearl was subdued by the lady-pirates within mere moments. Jack simply stood on the deck, not bothering to pull up his pants or button his shirt. He just stood and muttered irritatedly under his breath.
The red-haired woman glanced at Will, and Will could’ve sworn that her gaze lingered on him for a moment. She pressed fingers to her wound, and then, satisfied that the bloodflow was ebbing, she looked around at her crewmates. Then she spotted Jack, still trying to pull his trousers back up. She smiled.
“Call the Captain!” She cried, her smooth voice loud and easily carrying over to the other ship. Will watched. For a moment nothing happened. Then there was the sound of a spring being sprung, and a long plank smacked onto the Pearl, connecting the two ships like a makeshift bridge. The crew silenced as the sound of footsteps appeared.
She was of a more or less average height. She wore a blue blouse with a darker blue corset cinched tight below her ample bosom. Her hair was cut almost boyishly short and was a fiery red that gave Will the impression that it was made of pure flame. Her eyes were a cold green-grey, that flashed as she looked down at the beaten Captain Jack and his crew. She smiled, full red lips curving flirtatiously.
“Hello, Jack.” She said, her voice deep and sultry, with a slight Irish accent. Jack waved at her sheepishly, and William was stunned to see his captain actually blush when he noticed his pants were still on the deck.
“Hello, Dazmorah.” The captain replied. William and other crewmen’s mouth’s dropped. William noted the other woman smiling at him, but when he turned to look directly at her, she looked away, the smile gone from her full lips.
“You know this woman, Sir?” Gibbs asked. Jack smiled awkwardly.
“Well yes…. She’s my wife.”

“Your wife?!?” Will cried, slamming a hand against the iron bars that held them prisoner. While the woman-pirate ship was beautiful on the outside, it was still practical on the inside, complete with frustratingly sturdy prison cells.
“Will, I’ve told you a thousand times. Yes.” Jack sighed, looking out a tiny porthole. Will could guess what he was staring at; Captain Dazmorah had ordered the Black Pearl to be taken captive, a prize for her conquest. Even now it trailed behind them, led by one of the lady pirates.
“You never seemed like the marrying type.” Will explained. Jack made a face, but then nodded.
“Well, we only got married because… well.. you’dve had to have been there at the time…”
“What?”
“We were drunk.” Jack simplified.
“Ah. So … why aren’t you together anymore?” Will asked carefully. Jack sighed again, and was about to speak, when the door to the brig slammed open.
“Jack, Jack, Jack…” Dazmorah said, walking into the room with a swagger strikingly akin to Jack’s. “Whatever were you thinking, coming through my territory?”
“Ehh.. I was thinking of making a quick route to Tortuga. We’ve been a bit low on supplies, and…”
“Yes, supplies..” Dazmorah said. “Rum particularly. You only had one bottle left. The rest was found scattered on the floor of what I can only assume was your cabin, next to a rather irritating woman.” Dazmorah pulled the bottle from her pack, and took a long swig. Jack licked his lips.
“Now, my luv, surely we can…” He murmured, moving his hands elegantly behind the iron bars. Dazmorah raised an eyebrow.
“Love? Don’t be cute.”
Will’s interest faded out as Jack and Dazmorah faded into arguments that only they knew what were about. He started as he saw the red-haired woman through the doorway and hall, into what could be the medical room. His eyes widened. The woman’s chemise was off, the only thing clothing her torso a tight cream-colored corset. Another woman, a strange pale woman with long jet black hair and dark eyes methodically stitched up the wound. Will regretted marring the woman’s fine porcelain skin, and watched her face, wincing; he could tell she was in pain.
“And what are you lookin’ at, youngin’?” Dazmorah said, seeing Will’s vacant expression. She looked through the doorway, and raised an eyebrow.
“That’s Hannah, my first mate. Don’t get your hopes up, boy. She’s had far enough of men.”
Will nodded sadly, but sucked in a breath as Hannah glanced at him, only for a moment. Her blue-green eyes seemed deep enough to drown in. But then she looked awayeakieaking to the dark-haired woman, and William sighed as the medical woman closed the door.