Siobhan belongs entirely to me. She is my creation. All references to POTC in any form belong to the Disney Corporation
Tortuga was a disgusting place. She knew it, the locals knew it, and everyone else in the world knew it too. The difference between Siobhan and everyone else in the world was that she was the only one that paid attention to it. She had been dumped in this god-forsaken place after the ship she and her friends had been on capsized. She, the thief with the impenetrable façade, was longing to see a familiar face. She had made a friend, but the problem was that said friend was on the boat that sank…and she wasn’t exactly the type that strangers would accept.
“No,” she said to herself, “I can’t… keep your head up, Siobhan. Keep going.” Swallowing her emotions, Siobhan picked up her pack, strapped it across her back, and started down the darkening main street of Tortuga. Drunkards and wenches spilled out of the bars around her, and fights played themselves out on the balconies above her. She was tired, and irritated, and in desperate need of sleep, but Siobhan was not comfortable in any of these places.
At the end of the dock, just before the blazing light of the setting sun, she could see the dock. Stationed there were two large, white-masted ships, and one larger, black-sailed vessel. Certain that in her condition, and with her appearance, the brighter, statelier ships would certainly deny her passage back to the main land. But for a 5’1” half-elf thief with a blonde mohawk, pointed ears, and violet eyes, a black-masted pirate ship seemed the perfect place. She was sure she would find outcasts like herself onboard.
The closer she got to the dock, the steeper the road got, until drunks were rolling down the hill, tumbling end over end into benches, barrels, and lampposts. She would have found it funny if she weren’t so preoccupied with getting to some place where she couldn’t be followed by that…that whatever it was behind her.
Luckily, the gangplank was down, and she was allowed easy access. Unfortunately, she was met at the top by a pistol in her throat.
“State yer name and business aboard the Pearl,” a gruff voice sounded as a hand closed around her waist. Siobhan’s first reaction was to panic, but with a powder pistol at her throat, she knew better. Reasonable, Siobhan, she told herself, and took a deep breath.
“I seek passage to the mainland.”
“Ye realize ye be boardin’ a pirate ship?” the voice asked.
“I do, Mr...” she trailed off, waiting for a response.
“Gibbes. And the Cap’n ain’t here. Ye’ll have te wait ‘til he finishes his drinkin’.”
“If you tell me where he is, I’ll go ask him myself.”
“What be yer trade, lassie?”
“What’s it to you?” she retorted. He continued to hold onto her, and it was starting to get annoying. “If you don’t let me go, you pathetic sack of rat shit, I’m going to spill your intestines across the deck of this ship.” While she talked, she twisted her hand into her belt and produced a dagger, which easily fit against the man’s belly. There was pause, and the man’s hand tensed around her waist before letting her go. He started to laugh.
“Well played, lass. Cap’n Sparrow’ll be along shortly. Have a seat and wait for him.” He moved away and allowed her to crawl over the railing. Inwardly celebrating her victory, Siobhan moved around the deck of the ship, examining the scrollwork in the banisters, the expertly tied knots in the ropes, and taking in the majestic feel of the ship. The wood beneath her feet was a strange color black, and she could never remember seeing a tree with wood that color.
Siobhan had not been aboard the Pearl long when gunshots fired from the street below and a disheveled, dirty pirate wearing a surprisingly well-kept hat bounded on deck. She was surprised by the sudden movement, and even more surprised when pirates began crawling onto the deck from all open spaces.
“Mr. Gibbes!” shouted the particularly flashy pirate as he skipped up the steps to the wheel, “Get us out of here!”
So that was Captain Sparrow. That was the man in charge of this vessel. That was the man she was going to have to beg passage from? Siobhan started forward, and was nearly taken out by a loose length of rope from the mast. She ducked it easily and rolled out of the way, landing in a catlike crouching position at the base of the stairs. Everyone was distracted except her. She had to speak to him, and be nice about it. Otherwise, things could get ugly.
“Captain Sparrow?” she called out, leaning up the steps. Her voice was drowned by the sounds of water sloshing against the hull, ropes snapping against the deck, and pirates answering the shouted commands of Mr. Gibbes. “Captain Sparrow!” she tried again. No luck. Finally, she gave up on trying to catch his attention the nice way. Siobhan stood, stretching herself to her full height, walked up the steps, took the pirate by the arm, and turned him to face her. “Captain Sparrow, I need to speak with you now!”
He looked down at her startled, apparently ready to take a swing. Seeing it was just a small, seemingly harmless girl, he smiled, patted her on the head, and turned back to the wheel. In Siobhan’s eyes, that was the wrong move. Again she brandished her dagger and pushed it against yet another pirate’s belly.
“Captain Sparrow… I have to talk to you, right now,” she demanded. He turned, smiled weakly, and pushed the dagger away.
“Be with ye in a minute, Love,” he cooed. “First we have evacuate the treacherous waters of Tortuga. Let us get to sea, and we’ll talk.”
Siobhan tilted her head to the side and looked quizzically at him. He was a strange creature, this one. Apparently he was okay with the fact that there was a stranger on his ship. Shrugging, Siobhan put away her dagger, turned and went to bow of the ship. She had spent so much time traveling over mountains, through swamps and fog, and across dry, flat land, that she had forgotten just how much she really did love the ocean.
As the Pearl turned, the open sea stretched out before her, and suddenly Siobhan felt her fears melt away. Whatever it was that was chasing her would not get to her, and if she could get the Captain to speak with her, she might have a chance at finding her friends. She watched the horizon as the sun sank beneath the water, and drifted off to a different, happier place; one where she could spend her life on the water, exploring the vastness of the ocean.
“Beautiful, isn’t it?”
The sudden voice behind her startled her. Normally she would have gone into reactionary mode, but the ocean was calming to her.
“The ocean…it’s beautiful.”
“Yes, it is,” Siobhan replied.
“What’s yer name, love?”
“Siobhan Carrick. Yours?”
“Captain Jack Sparrow.” He tipped his hat and bowed with a flourish. Siobhan smiled at the antiquated action, and at the same time felt her cheeks flush with embarrassment and a rush of flattery. “What was it ye wished to speak to me about?”
“Well, I was going to ask if I could catch a ride, but I think you’ve already answered that question,” she said, trying to fight the blush crawling up her pale cheeks. Jack looked at her, puzzled.
“Who said you had permission?” he asked.
“Nobody, but its not like you can get rid of me now,” she retorted, turning to face him fully.
“You do seem to admire the ocean…perhaps we could tip you into it?” he asked, voice hard to read.
“Perhaps,” she replied, “but I’d be forced to take you with me.” She glanced over the edge of the ship, where the bow cut through the waves. “And that water looks awful cold…and wet.”
“Point taken,” Jack replied, smirking. “It would appear that we have reached an impasse.”
“No,” Siobhan said, “you’re going to let me stay on the ship, and I’m not going to gut you like a fish.
“Ooh, looks like we have ourselves a live one. I like your fire.”
“Good,” she said simply, and went back to watching the last streaks of purple and orange fade into night. Jack was talking, but she stopped listening. The water was already dark, and while she watched, it cleared her head and made her remember the point of getting on a boat. She had to find the others.
Thief or no, she couldn’t simply walk away from the one true friend she had.