The Redhead of the Sea (Jack Sparrow x OC)

Chapter 25: Into the Locker, we go

Far away from the tropical waters of the Caribbean, our heroes found their way on their latest ship as it travelled between pieces of ice. The temperatures were so low, that a man from Sao Feng's crew tried to warm his feet, only for his big finger to break away.

Everyone was covered with a thin blanket and was shivering from the cold. Pieces of snow and cold could be seen on their hair and beards. Even the monkey, Jack, was shivering and was rubbing his tiny hands around his body, trying to remain warm but failing miserably.

"No one said anything about cold" Pintel whined as his teeth clattered against each other.

"There must be a good reason for our suffering" Raggetti added, in no better condition.

"Why don't that Obeah woman bring back Jack, the same way she brought back Barbossa?"

Their little discussion which was mostly taken as whining, was heard by the other members on top of the ship. One of them was Tia Dalma herself, who chose to enlighten the two pirates since they so openly accused her as if they knew her crafts and her abilities.

"Because Barbossa was only dead" she started to explain. "Jack Sparrow is taken, body and soul, to a place not of death, but punishment. The worst fate a person can bring upon himself. Stretching on forever. That's what awaits at Davy Jones' locker"

After her explanation, Tia Dalma searched the small ship before finding the person she was looking for.

"I knew there was a good reason" Raggetti commented as the woman left them.

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Artemis was standing at the far back of the boat, her eyes locked on the sea they were leaving behind. She was shivering and the sound of her teeth could be slightly heard. She held the end of the blanket closer to her chest to keep her body warm, her fingers feeling numb, as did most parts of her body.

She had never faced such cold before and she knew she did not like it. She would choose the heat and the sun any day over that cold. She could sense that someone was by her side and she quickly noticed whom, yet she said nothing as her mind was too messy with thoughts.

She recognised Beckett's little lap dog back at the bathhouse and she was certain that he recognised her too. That meant that he knew she was there and most likely had a basic idea of what would happen next if that little spy of theirs survived the attack.

Her stomach turned at any idea or thought she had about that man, scenes replaying in her mind of a time not so long ago when they first met. She shook her head, closing her eyes for a moment to push and lock those memories away before she decided to focus on something else; for the sake of her sanity.

"Tia Dalma..." she started, doing her best to find the strength to speak through her quivering lips. "... you said you knew me... back at the hut... How?" she asked, breaking the silence and looking at the older woman.

"You do not remember? Do you?" the older woman asked, looking back at her with the same hurt expression she had when they first met at her hut.

It was the expression of betrayal but also disappointment, a look Artemis did not get often. She could not help but feel guilty, feeling she had actually harmed the woman with her words but she could not lie to her; knowing it was not right..and it just did not feel right.

"If I did, I wouldn't have asked you," she said, not truly wanting to sound sarcastic but she could not fully help it.

The two women looked at each other and Tia Dalma opened the shell necklace she wore. The sound of a melody echoed through the silence, its soft tune mimicking that of a lullaby.