Loving Sparrows: To the End and Back (Book Three)

Chapter Seven: Brethren Court

Chapter Seven: Brethren Court

Maria's POV:

"As issue summons I convene this the fourth Brethren court. To confirm your lordship and right to be heard present now your pieces of eight me fellow captains." Barbossa said. I stared at all the lords. They were all legends in there own ways. I recognized them all. I saw Ammand the Corsair lord of the Black sea, Chevalle the penniless Frenchman lord of the Mediterranean, Mistress Ching lord of the Pacific, Villanueva lord of the Adriatic, Gentleman Jocard lord of the Atlantic, and Sri Sumbhajee lord of the Indian Ocean.

"Might I point out we are one pirate lord short and I'm as content as a cucumber to wait until Sao Feng joins us." Jack said. "Sao Feng is dead." Someone said. We turned to see Elizabeth. Sao Feng's crew was behind her and she was dressed in chinese clothing. "He fell to the Flying Dutchman." She said. She stabbed her sword in a globe with the rest of ours. "And made you captain?" I question. "They're just giving the bloody title away." Elizabeth came up and stood next to us. "Listen, listen to me. Our location has been betrayed. Jones is under the command of Beckett they're on their way here." She said. "Who is this betrayer?" Jocard asked. "No likely anyone among us." Barbossa said. "Where's Will?" She asked. "Not among us." I answered. I had seen Jack dump Will over board.

"And it matters not how they found us the question is what will we do now that we have?" Barbossa asked. "We fight." Elizabeth said. The whole court laughed. I had a laugh myself. I could tell these pirates weren't going to go to war unless they were about to die. "Shipwreck Cove is a fortress. A well supplied fortress. There is no need to fight if they cannot get to us." Mistress Ching said. "There be a third course." Barbossa began. "In another age at this very spot the first brethren court captured the sea goddess and bound her in her bones." The court agreed. "That was a mistake. Oh we tamed the seas for ourselves aye, but open the door to Beckett and his ilk!" Barbossa said. "Better when the days when mastery of the seas didn't come from bargains struck with eldritch creatures, but from the sweat of the man's brow and the strength of his back alone. Ya'll know this to be true. Gentlemen, ladies....we must free Calypso." The court exploded with argument. "Shoot him!" Ammand yelled. "Cut out his tongue!" Jocard yelled. "Shoot him and cut out his tongue and then shoot his tongue. And trim that scraggly beard." Jack said. 

"Sao Feng would have agreed with Barbossa." Tia Haung said. "Aye" Barbossa said. "Calypso was our enmeny then she will be our enemy now!" Jocard objected. "It is unlikely her moods improved." Chevalle said. "I would still agree with Sao Feng. We release Calypso!" Villanueva said. "You threaten me?" Chevalle said. "I silence you!" Villanueva shouted. Chevalle punch Villanueva causing him to fire a shot. A riot broke out. "This is madness." Elizabeth said. "This is politics." I said. "Meanwhile our enemies are bearing down upon us." Elizabeth said. "If they not be here already." Barbossa groaned.

Eventually Barbossa became annoyed. He stepped up on the table and shot a fire in the air. "It was the first court who imprisoned Calypso, we should be the ones to set her free!" Barbossa yelled. "And in her gratitude she will see fit to grant us boons." "Who's boons? Your boons?" Jack asked. "Utterly deceptive twoddlespeak says I." "If you have a better offer, please share." Barbossa said. I didn't catch Jack's speech for I saw something strange. I saw up in the corner in a window the shape of a man. When he finished I realized Jack was agreeing with Elizabeth for once. "You've always run away from a fight." Barbossa said. "Have not!' Jack answered.

"You have so!"

"Have not!"

"You have so!'

"Have not!"

"You have so and you know it." Barbossa said. "Have not slunder and calumny. I have only embraced the oldest and noblest of pirate traditions. We must fight to runaway." Jack said. "Aye" I called. The rest joined in. "As per the code an act of war this be exactly that can only be declared by the pirate king." Barbossa said. I rolled my eyes. Barbossa only followed the code when it suited him. "You made that up." Jack said. "Did I now? I call on Captain Teague, Keeper of the Code." Barbossa called. I saw Jack's face become grim. "Sri Sumbhajee proclaims this all to be folly." The Sri's assistant said. "Hang the code! Who cares...." A shot was heard and the assistant fell dead. I looked to the corner and saw the shape blow the top of it's pistol. "The code is the law." A rough voice said.

The figure came down and walked towards us to reveal a man. He had a red coat with golden embbriodery and a belt full of pistols. He had dreadlocks like Jack's and a hat that flipped up in the front and feathers strung across the front of the flip. "Your in my way boy." He said to Jack. Jack moved to the side. Teague motioned behind him. Suddenly two weak men carried the code in. I heard people whisper. "The code" I whispered.