The Devil's Temptress: The Curse of the Black Pearl || Jack Sparrow

V. Marooned

Nicolette had bound Jack's hands together in front of him quick upon pulling him from his ungrateful heap. He had kid himself as first, thinking she would tie them loose or perhaps not tie them at all.

Jack had smirked as her hands skimmed his lower abdomen as she ferociously coiled the rope around his wrists, but she hadn't been paying attention. When Nikki finished, the restraints were tight, uncomfortably so but he didn't have time to comment before he was pushed into the arms of the quartermaster.

"If any of you as much as thinks the word parley, I'll have your guts for garters." Nikki hissed, walking past the pathetic group of scoundrels Jack had dared to call a crew. One was a mute, another a half man and over half looked like they had not sailed a day in their life. And what was this...

Nikki smirked as she slowed in front of a woman. She was young. How lovely for Jack to bring such a pretty young girl aboard his ship, how kind.

The girl held her chin high as Nikki paused and turned to face her. She had beautiful skin, so clear and radiant, so...untouched. And she was brave too, never once allowing to show whatever emotions Nicolette was inflicting.

Raking her eyes from the girl's head to her toes and back again, Nikki gave the entire crew a once over and then moved on, going to stand by her husband.

The air was still and eerily quiet, the anxiety of all the crew could be felt thick in the air. They were all waiting for one thing in particular. They were quite a way back from the Interceptor, the wreck now a poor resemblance to the once quite fine ship, and all they needed to do now was wait for the gunpowder to do its job.

The Interceptor took very little to be blown up, but the flames climbed high as the force shook the Pearl. She had never been cruel as a child, unlike these other men she called crew mates. Nikki hadn't pulled the head off Beatles and fought for entertainment but she found the sight of burning wreckage so satisfying these days. It was like a cleansing of her soul.

"Will!" The girl, the wrong child, cried out some name unfamiliar to them all and rushed forward. Her tiny fists slammed against Barbossa's chest. "You've got to stop it! Stop it!" Pintel and Regetti restrained her, pulling her back towards the rest of the crew, but Elizabeth was a fighter. Her squirming didn't cease until Barbossa stepped forward.

"Welcome back, Miss." He sneered, gripping the girl's upper arms. "You took advantage of our hospitality last time. It holds fair now that you return the favour." Using minimal force, Hector pushed the girl sending her stumbling into the gathering of men. Each of them began to paw at her like she was some common whore in a tavern, pulling at her dress...that dress.

Scarlett. That woman's name had been Scarlett.

"Barbossa!"

Nikki withdrew her sword prior to her turning towards the exclamation. A boy...was this the said boy the little girl had been crying over? Judging by the breathless call of a name which fell from her lips, it was.

"Will." The girl's smile and the way the boy, both merely children, returned it sickened Nicolette. She assumed it did the same to most of the men too judging by how they grimaced.

"She goes free." The boy, Nikki took a guess at who's name was Will, lowered a pistol onto Barbossa. In retaliation, Nikki too removed her pistol from her belt, where it was tucked against her hip, and aimed it at Will's temple.

But Barbossa raised a hand and gestured for Nikki to lower her aim. The order led her to become confused and she watched on as Hector narrowed his eyes on their imposter. "What's in your head, boy?"

Will nodded towards Elizabeth once more. "She goes free!"

There was a pause, during which Hector threw Nikki a curious look. Everyone had their weakness, just like all men had their leverage. As Nikki smirked, Will turned his pistol on to her but it only made her laugh more. "You've only got one shot, and we can't die." She called up to him, placing her hands on her hips.