Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

Chapter 7: An Audience with Blackbeard

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The Quartermaster stabbed the back of Jack's shirt into a wooden pillar that was in Blackbeard's cabin.

"I actually have no interest in the Fountain whatsoever, so, if your heart is set, you may drop me off anywhere you like. Preferably with my lovely lady by me side." Jack suggested.

"That will be all, Quartermaster." Blackbeard said, as he locked up a cabinet.

The zombified man left the room and Blackbeard turned to Jack. "Your words surround you like fog and make you hard to see."

"And what of you?" Jack countered. "The mighty Blackbeard? Beheaded they say. Still your body swam three times around your ship, then climbed back on board. And here you are, running scared."

Blackbeard raised his brows. "Scared?"

"To the Fountain." Jack specified.

Blackbeard walked around his cabin. "The Quartermaster sees things before they happen. He has foreseen my death and so, the fates have spoken. The threads of destiny woven." He explained, as he sat at his desk.

"You have a ridiculously high regard for fate, mate." Jack commented.

"And you?"

"Me? I'm skeptical of predicting any future...which includes me."

Jack began to reach for the dagger in his shirt when Blackbeard spoke again. "It'd be foolish to battle fate, but I'd be tempted to cheat it. I will reach the Fountain. You will lead me."

Jack pulled the dagger out and raised it towards Blackbeard.

"The knife will serve you no better than the mutiny you devised." Blackbeard told him, without looking up from his desk.

Jack paused and lowered the dagger. "Mutiny served me well. It gained me an audience with you."

Blackbeard looked up. "Oh?"

"Aye. To warn you." Jack stabbed the dagger into the desk. "Of your First Mate. Who pretends to be persons she is not."

"Do tell."

"She is not your daughter." Jack revealed.

Blackbeard raises his brows. "You dare to speak thusly of my flesh and blood?"

"Sir, the woman is consummate in the art of deception." Jack insisted.

...

Unbeknownst to Jack, Angelica had emerged from her cabin, with the Quartermaster behind her, who was pulling (Y/n) along by the arm. She still had her bandages wrapped around her body, but she now had a white shirt on.

The three were heading to the Captain's cabin when Angelica paused outside the door to listen to the conversation they were having.

...

"I know. As I mostly unwittingly set her on her wicked path. Though I cannot claim credit for her existing abundance of natural talent." Jack explained.

Blackbeard looked like he was barely listening as he held up a voodoo doll that looked like Jack. "Angelica. My beloved daughter, the one true good thing I have done in this life, and you claim to be the one who corrupted her?"

"Sir, what she is, is pure evil. More to be feared than a wild beast. Hungry wild beast with gnashing teeth. Vengeful, hungry from hell beast—."

Angelica opened the door and stepped inside, the Quartermaster following, pulling (Y/n) with him. "Father."

"Jack." (Y/n) called.

"Sweetness." Jack greeted with a smile.

Blackbeard picked up a dagger and stabbed the doll with it, causing Jack to double over, and (Y/n) gasped.

"No need to hurt him father. He will help us. Won't you Jack?" Angelica asked.

"You see? Even now, she attends to your welfare, giving lie to the claims you make of her." Blackbeard said as he finished carving into the doll.

Jack pulled his shirt aside and looked down at his chest to see that a mark that looked like a trident had been carved into him.

"Ah, and I see you've brought the girl with you Angelica." Blackbeard looked to (Y/n) who glared back at him.

"You know Sparrow, when she was first brought aboard, I was initially going to throw her overboard and leave her to the sharks. I have no use for injured crewman. But, my dear daughter convinced me to let her live on the account that I could use her to keep you under control." Blackbeard explained. "But seeing as you have caused a mutiny I'm starting to think keeping her around isn't working, so maybe I should just get rid of her now, what do you think?"

Jack shrugged lightly, but could be seen fidgeting in his spot. "You're the Captain, mate. You do whatever you think is best."

(Y/n) glanced to Jack, but didn't show any emotion on her face. She knew he was bluffing. He had to be bluffing. He just didn't want to let Blackbeard know he had any weaknesses.

Blackbeard raised is brows. "Really? Angelica seems to think you fancy this girl. But if that's how you feel..."

Blackbeard nodded to the Quartermaster who grabbed (Y/n)'s chin, and lifted her face up to reveal her neck. He then took out a knife and raised it to her throat, ready to kill her.

"No!" Jack blurted out, and the Quartermaster paused.

Blackbeard smirked. "Ah, so she does mean something to you. Well, perhaps it's worth it to keep her around a little longer. Release her."

The Quartermaster removed the knife from her neck and shoved her down onto her knees, making Jack flinch.

"I'll make you a deal, Sparrow. Follow my orders, lead me to the Fountain, help me gain eternal life, and no harm shall come to your lovely lady and you will both be free to leave." Blackbeard offered.

"You will lead us to the Fountain, yes?" Angelica asked Jack.

"Put another way, if I do not make it to the Fountain in time..." Blackbeard took out his pistol and aimed it at (Y/n). "...neither does she."

Jack's upper lip twitched in slight fear. "I'll have a wee look-see at those charts straight away then, shall I?" He replied awkwardly.

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