"I can't believe you're actually making them your prisoners." Aria said in disbelief, crossing her arms over her chest as she watched two of the pirates tie up Carina and Henry to the mast.
"I am the captain and I say so." Jack smirked, walking up to Mr. Gibbs.
Aria rolled her eyes and walked up to Henry and Carina while the other pirates got the "ship" ready to sail. "Are you both alright?" She sighed, standing beside them in the middle.
Carina turned her head and looked at her in confusion. "I would be better if I wasn't being kidnapped by pirates."
Aria shrugged, tilting her head to the side a bit in agreement. "Can't argue with that." She looked at Henry. "Turner, how are you holding up."
"Can't complain, except I would rather not be tied up." He gave her a looked that was asking the red head to untie them.
Aria leaned in a bit before whispering. "I'll get you out soon." The two prisoners looked at her pressing a finger to her lips and gave a nod.
As Aria turned to walk away, Henry called out out to her. "Aria."
She turned back around and faced him, humming in response.
"I just wanted to say your fighting skills in brilliant!" He exclaimed causing the corners of her mouth to turn up. "That was incredible. Best fighting I've ever seen in my life, especially by a girl." Henry added while smiling causing her to blush.
"Thank you. You're not so bad yourself for a boy." Aria teased.
"Cut the shard!" Jack shouted, catching her attention. One of the pirates cut a rope that held barrels which dropped to the ground, knocking down one by one of the strips of wood holding the ship. Jack walked up the steps to the wheel while every one waited for the boat to move.
Aria moved to the side of the ship to look down at the ground. She turned around and met Henry's eyes, they shared a look with each other while the ship moved. While Jack was shouting to his crew, the ship came to a sharp stop causing everyone to fall forward.
As everyone stood up, Jack turned to speak to Aria. "Somethings gone wrong."
She pulled herself up on the railing and looked up at Jack. "Yeah no sh-" She was cut off by the ship moving forward again causing everyone to fly back wards. They all groan as they hit hard on the floor.
When the ship was fully in the water, everyone got up and looked around. "She floats!" Marty shouted, punching the air with his fists making all of the pirates cheer.
~
Jack and his men stood beside the wheel, discussing the journal while Aria walked down to Henry and Carina.
They stopped talking and looked at her. "Hi there." She gave an awkward small smile. "Don't stop talking on my behalf."
"Come here." Henry motioned Aria over. Raising an eyebrow, she walked over to his side. "No opposite side of us." She moved on the opposite side of the mast and looked at them both. "Go on then, what did the map reveal?" Henry asked Carina who was looking at Aria suspiciously. "You can trust her, she wants to help as well." Aria looked at Henry before looking at Carina and gave her a small, friendly smile.
"Fine." Carina sighed giving in. "Come closer." She motioned Aria to come in closer. Aria stood right in front of the mast, looking at Carina. "Alright," Carina sighed. "The moon revealed a clue. To release the power of the sea, all must divide."
"Divide?" Aria questioned quietly.
"What does it mean?" Henry asked.
"I'm not sure yet." Carina answered.
"Then we'll figure it out." Henry said.
Jack and the crew walked down the steps and over to Carina, holding the journal open. "There is no map in this map." He said showing her the blank pages.
"Give me my diary." She glared at Jack.
"Give me the map no map can read." Jack tried.
"If you could read it, then it wouldn't be called a map no man can read." Carina smirked.
"Don't argue with someone who is smarter than you Jack." Aria came out away from the mast looking at Jack.
Jack glared at Aria before turning his attention back to Carina. "Most of the men on this ship can't read, except for her." He motioned lazily at Aria.
"Well if you have no use for it then you have no use for me." Carina said.
"Let me try this again; show me the map!" Jack pouted slightly.
"I can't. It doesn't yet exist."
"She's a witch." Marty said, looking up at Scrum.
"I'm an astronomer."
Aria looked at Carina, impressed. "You're an astronomer?" Carina looked at her and nodded. "That's incredible, I knew someone who was an astronomer, a women actually. She taught me a thing or two when I was little. I love astronomy."
Carina gave Aria a smile. "You do?"
Before Aria could answer, Scrum spoke out. "Ahhh, ahhh she breeds donkeys."
Aria and Carina looked at Scrum with scrunched up faces. "What? No." Carina said.
"An astronomer contemplates the sky, you git." Aria said, crossing her arms over her chest.
"Thank you!" Carina exclaimed. She leaned her head back, closing her eyes. "Finally someone understands." She opened her eyes and looked at Aria who gave her a smile.
"Yeah on a donkey!" Scrum argued, crossing his arms over his chest.
"No there's no dokey!" Carina said raising her voice.
"Well then how do you breed them?" A pirate asked.
Turning her head, she looked at Aria for some back up. The red head gave a nod and walked around Carina to look at the two stupid pirates. She smacked them both up the side of their head before turning to look at Carina. "Thank you." She said, looking done with everyone.
The two pirates held their head, looking at Aria. "That really hurt." Scrum whined.
"I don't really care." Aria said still facing forward as Carina gave her an amused smile.
Jack rolled his eyes at his crew and looked at the astronomer. "Give me the map or I will..." His pointer finger moved around as he tried to think of something. "I'll kill him. I'll kill him, yeah." He pointed at Henry. Aria rolled her eyes and walked over to Henry. "What are you doing?" Jack called. The red head ignored him and pulled out the dagger that was in Scrums belt. She walked up to Henry and cut him free of the ropes. Henry looked at Aria as she gave him a little wink before walking over to Carina and cutting her free.
"You're not going to kill him." Aria stood right beside Jack and tossed the dagger to Scrum who jumped away immediately. "You're bluffing."
"And you're blushing." He smirked at his blushing first mate. "Throw him over." Jack ordered his crew. They all laughed and grabbed Henry while Aria and Carina shared glances. "Young Henry will be tossed over," Jack walked over to the ropes before turning back around. "And dragged under the ship."
"Alright, what are you waiting for?" Carina asked challenging him.
Henry went to speak but was muffled by a rag being put in his mouth as he was lifted by three pirates.
"Nope, not bluffing." Jack grinned, pointing at himself as Henry was thrown off the ship. Aria gasped and pushed Scrum out of the way, running up the steps to the back of the ship. She looked over the edge and saw Henry laying in the vessel. She closed her eyes and let out a sigh of relief.
Opening her eyes, she looked back at Carina not giving in. Before she could say anything, she was grabbed and tied up. "Oi!" The red head shouted as she was lifted up.
"I'll throw her over too." Jack said casually as Gibbs put a piece of cloth in Aria's mouth. "You better start talking."
"You'd throw over your own first mate?" Carina asked.
"Yup." Jack shrugged as Aria was thrown overboard causing Carina to gasp.
Aria fell face first on top of Henry, both groaning in pain. "Sorry." She muffled out the words. He nod understanding. Aria wiggled off of him and on to her side. Henry turned on his side to face her, not realizing how close they were. Their noses touched each other along with her body pressed close against his. Henry swallowed as they looked at each other.
"Are you okay?" He tried to say to her. Aria looked at him in confusion for a moment before nodding, understanding what he meant. She accidentally rubbed her nose against his causing them to blush.
They tried laying on their backs to look up to see Carina looking down at them. She moved out of the way and the crew began to lift up the vessel to get Aria and Henry out. Once they got a hold of the little boat, Scrum scooped up Aria and placed her on the ground to untie her.
After Aria and Henry were both untied, the angry red head stormed over to Jack. She lifted her hand up and smacked his cheek hard. His jaw dropped at the pain and he looked at her. "That was for throwing me overboard," she slapped his other cheek hard as well. "And that was for giving up your compass."
Carina and Henry stood and watching in amusement. "Very feisty, I like her already." Carina whispered to Henry.
"Yeah I do too." He smiled, looking at Aria.
~
As the day turned into night, the crew grew quiet and peaceful. Some of the men, including Jack, were already sleeping. Carina was drawing in her journal while Henry was steering the ship.
Aria got up from sitting on the step and walked up to Carina. "What are you doing?" She asked curiously.
"Just drawing the stars for the map." Carina looked up from her journal and at Aria. "The map that no man can read." She chuckled.
"Well luckily we're women." Aria smiled causing Carina to smile.
"I said the exact same thing to Henry." She laughed. Aria chuckled and glanced over at her shoulder to looked at Henry talking to Jack. "You know I never properly introduced myself," the astronomer said grabbing Aria's attention. "Carina Smyth." She said sticking her hand out.
"Aria Phyros." The red head grabbed Carina's hand and shook it.
"It's nice to finally meet someone who understands what an astronomer is."
Aria laughed and glanced down at her feet. "It's nice to have another women on this thing." She leaned against the side of the ship next to Carina.
"Oh I bet." Carina laughed, closing her journal. "I don't know how you can stand it. Being the only women surrounded by stupid men."
"I've always lived with stupid men. I just know how to deal with them." Aria grinned.
"I admire that. Jack seems to be scared of you."
"He is. They all are scared of someone who can fight better than them, particularly a women. Particularly a red head now that I think about it." Aria joked.
"I have a feeling you and I are going to be really good friends." The two girls shared a smile before laughing.
"I have a feeling too."
Henry walked down the steps, frustrated, to the ship of the ship causing the two girls to turn. Aria noticed how upset he looked before turning to look at Carina, not sure if she should go talk to him or stay. "Go on." The she grinned at Aria.
"I'll be right back." Aria said standing up.
"Take your time." Carina tease causing Aria to look at her in confusion.
Shaking her head, she walked up to Henry who was looking through a telescope. He put it down when he noticed her presents and let out a breath through his nose. "Don't let Jack get to you, Henry." He turned to look at her. "I know he isn't the most...sober guy at the moment but don't let that bother you."
"It isn't that." Henry sighed. "Yes he is part of it but that's not what's bothering me."
"Then what is?" Aria asked curiously.
Henry turned to look at her softly. "I just want to save my father and at this rate I don't feel like we're ever going to find the trident. The ghost pirates are coming right now to find Jack and he is drunk." He paused before continuing. "I'm so close to freeing him but I still have miles to go."
"I understand." Aria nodded, looking up at him softly. "We're going to find it, I promise." She paused before adding quietly. "I always keep my promises."
"You do?"
"I promise Jack I would be there to save him and I haven't failed him once." Aria said giving a little proud smile. The corners of Henry's mouth flickered up before falling down again. "You're going to save your father, don't worry." Turning her head, she look out at the calm ocean. "And I am going to save the idiot man I look at as a fatherly figure from ghost pirates." She breathed out.
"Can I ask something, well ask you again?" He said suddenly changing the topic.
"Yes." Aria turned her head to look at him.
"What ever happened to your real father? Your family?" He looked at the red head curiously.
She looked at him before letting out a sigh and turned to sit on the ground. "I'll tell you." Leaning against the boat, she motioned Henry to sit with her. He sat in front of her and nodded to go on.
"There once was this grand island that no one ever knew about. It was hidden far from the world. The people there were all kind and beautiful, full of good hearts and had no greed in them. The ancient homes were built in the rocks of the cliffs that was on the beaches. There were no doors only these big, elegant windows to look at the beautiful views of the ocean waves that crashed on piles of rocks in front of the homes that looked almost like stairs. Riches beyond belief were shared through the people, always given to those in need. No violence was ever brought into the island until one day when a fleet of men came in. Pirates. They were filled with greed, violence, and evil. Their arrival ended the island and all the purity that held it together. On that day when the pirates came, a baby girl was born. Her parents who had once saw their baby as a blessed gift now saw her as a sign of great evil. They thought that her being born was the reason the island was doomed. The parents of the baby girl threw her into the ocean but somehow that baby survived. The captain of the ship had saw the baby floating in the water on a piece of broken wood. He had always wanted a daughter so he scooped her up and claimed her as his own. And that baby was me." Aria paused for a second before continuing. "That man was never a real father to me. From the time I was able to walk until I was ten, we lived in Singapore. I learned how to fight in Singapore actually. For three years after that, every one on his ship hated me. They hated that a girl was better at fist fighting and sword fighting than a man. My father didn't want anything to do with me anymore. I was thirteen when they left me on Tortuga and that was when I met Jack which you know how."
When Aria finished, Henry waited a moment, looking at her sadly, before talking. "That's awful. I'm so sorry."
"It's not your doing." She said giving a small smile. "Besides, I'm happy with my life."
Henry smiled, pulling his knees to his chest. "You're very brave, you know that?"
"I like to think I am," she gave a little laugh. "But thank you." They both grew quiet for a moment before Aria spoke up. "I think we should probably get some sleep. We're going to need our energy to fight off the ghost."
"I agree." Henry said as they both stood up.
"Goodnight, Mr. Turner." Aria smiled before walking off to the steps of the ship.
"Goodnight...Aria." He said quietly as he watched her walk away.
Just a little note, I saw that picture and I automatically wanted to make it the place where Aria was born because I mean come on! Look at how beautiful it looks! I would love to live there tbh. Also that picture represents it (in my personal opinion) how it looks now, if you all understand what I mean.
Thanks for the reads :)