Song of the Sea: Sunsets and Black Sails

Chapter 18: Destiny Awaits

The Pearl was safely moored just outside the river's mouth. Jack, Aria, Will, and a few of the more trustworthy crew members were rowing the longboats upstream to wherever it was Jack had set his mind to go. Aria had debated whether or not to take the same boat as Jack, but she simply couldn't bring herself to be so close to him for so long.

Besides, she needed to talk to Will, to see how he and Elizabeth had been - before Beckett, of course.

"It's good to see you, Aria," Will said sincerely. He paused, taking in her demeanor. "I would say you look well, though you appear upset. Is it because of Elizabeth? If you could only convince Jack to--"

"It's good to see you too, Will," Aria interrupted. "As for me, well... it's not about Elizabeth, exactly. She's clever, she'll find a way out of it all. But never you mind about me."

Will seemed as though he wanted to press the matter, but Aria was thankful when he changed the subject. "Why is Jack afraid of the open ocean?" he asked.

"Well," Gibbs spoke at a nod of permission from Aria, "If you believe such things, there's a beast does the bidding of Davy Jones - a fearsome creature with giant tentacles that'll suction your face clean off-" -here, Pintel and Ragetti touched their faces in horror- "-and drag an entire ship down to the crushing darkness... The Kraken."

Aria couldn't hold back a shudder at the thought of that monster taking Jack and the Pearl from her.

"They say the stench of its breath is like..." Gibbs trailed off, shuddering. "Imagine, the last thing you know on God's green earth is the roar of the Kraken and the reeking odor of a thousand rotting corpses... If you believe such things."

Dear Gibbs did love his stories.

"And the key will spare him that?" Will asked.

"We can only hope," Aria murmured.

Gibbs nodded at her words. "That's the very question Jack wants answered... Bad enough even to go visit... her."

Aria paused. Her? Jack had spoken about someone like that long ago...

"Her?" she asked. "Tia Dalma?"

Gibbs gave her a curious look. "He told you about her, did he?"

Aria simply nodded. Will simply looked confused. No one spoke after that.

-

It was dark when they finally reached the little shack on the water. Figures lingered in the shadows, occasionally illuminated by the fireflies. The longboats docked under a little ladder that lead up to the cabin. Jack stepped out first.

"No worries, mates," he said, "Tia Dalma and I go way back."

Why hadn't he told Aria this is where they were going? Though, to be fair, she hadn't exactly given him a chance...

"Thick as thieves," Jack continued once he, Aria, Will, and Gibbs had climbed out of the boats. "Nigh inseparable, we are. Were. Have been. Before..."

"I'll watch your back," Gibbs said solemnly.

"It's me front I'm worried about..." Jack said.

"That's mine to watch," Aria said casually, brushing past the three men, leaving them to exchange surprised looks at her boldness. Soon enough, though, their footsteps followed her up the ladder, onto the little porch.