Fathoms Below: Captain Jack Sparrow

Chapter 26: Singapore

Once the fleet had safely passed, the men ushered us to follow him, first Barbossa, then Elizabeth and I as we slipped through the underground tunnel around the canal, leading us out to a street market.

I hoped that the other crew members were in place now, following the plan as we'd instructed.

"Have you heard anything from Will?" Elizabeth asked Barbossa, pulling me out of my thoughts.

"I trust young Turner to acquire the charts and you to remember your place in the presence of Captain Sao Feng," Barbossa said ushering a warning to her, which was apparently needed judging my her actions only moments earlier.

"Is he that terrifying?" Elizabeth asked with a frown.
"He's much like myself, but absent my merciful nature and sense of fair play." I huffed out a laugh and he seemed to beam with pride for a moment.
Our focus immediately shifted as the men in front of us paused, knocking on the circular door. When the door began to creak open, he removed his hat and uttered one word in Mandarin that allowed us in. The door swung open and we were allowed to enter before the door slammed shut loudly behind us.

Barbossa, who walked ahead of Elizabeth and I, was immediately stopped by the first man who simply said 'remove' in a thick accent. Barbossa raised his arms in a sort of surrender, removing his weapons, placing them on the table beside them. Elizabeth stepped forward to enter but was immediately stopped by the group of men.

"Do you think because she is a woman we would not suspect her of treachery?" he asked Barbossa. He then turned to me, "you as-well."

I sighed at Elizabeth's hasty actions, before reaching to remove the pistol from my waist, the two daggers in my boots, the sword and belt by my side, along with the pouch of shot on my waist.
Elizabeth also removed her assortment of weapons and we began to move forwards.
"Oh," I said, reaching into my dress, down in between my breasts and pulling out a small, sheathed dagger. We attempted to move forward again, but were stopped once more.

"Remove, please," he said with a sickening look on his face, gesturing to our clothed legs. I sighed, reaching down to pull off the tied waist trousers I wore. Luckily the top half of my oriental shirt fell past my buttocks. I felt incredibly vulnerable right now, not having shared my body with anyone. But I was still less of a prude than Elizabeth, I could only imagine how she was feeling.

The man in front of us nodded once, then led us through the winding rooms of the bathhouse. Men of all shapes and sizes were wearing little to nothing as they emerged from steaming baths, often tended to by women in silk robes. I saw Elizabeth pulling on her robed top as we walked, desperate to stay covered, showing her deep discomfort.

The further we walked into the bathhouse, the thicker the steam became. I could feel my face heating up as sweat started to bead across my forehead, my top almost clinging to me as we walked, wet from the steam.

We approached a larger room as we saw two women dressing a man in the centre. The women stepped away once his robe was adjusted, leaving the man to turn around. Sao Feng turned and the thick scars on his face became evident. I felt Elizabeth tense beside me and I prayed she wouldn't let out a gasp.
Barbossa and I bowed, Elizabeth bending a moment later as we greeted our host.

"Captain Barbossa," Sao Feng said with a heavy accent,"Welcome to Singapore."
Barbossa nodded his head respectfully as we stayed silent beside him, realising it was in our best interests not to aggravate the pirate lord stood before us.
He paused to hold a red tag to his face, inhaling slowly, before turning to one of his attendants, "More steam." She bowed her head gently before pulling on the rope beside her. The room instantly filled with more steam, making the room feel evermore suffocating.