Set Your Sails...to Atlantis || Peter Pan, OUAT

Chapter Two - Chaos and The King

~ Davina

We're barely out of Tortuga's port, when Peter comes running through our quarters and into the charter room, disturbing my discovery.

"What's going on?" I ask, subtly covering the tarot cards with my sword.

"We've got company," Peter says.

I jump from my chair, grabbing the cards and tucking them back into my inside jacket pocket, sword in my other hand. I lock all the doors with a wave of my hand, not wanting whoever these visitors are to find and take what we have. I take the telescope from the side of the wheel, and see the colours and uniform I have tried to avoid my whole life.

"Oh bloody hell..." I say through gritted teeth.

"Who is it?"

"The Royal Navy."

"What do we do?"

"There's not much we can do. It's going to take us some time to gain momentum and speed, and they're already gaining on us. Our best option is to remain civilised, the penalty for piracy is...well...let's just say it's not pleasant. If we can comply as much as possible, it should be safer for us, but I can't guarantee that. Just...follow my lead," I explain aloud, my mind going a million miles as it tries to find a way out, just as ropes and grappling hooks appear around our ship.

The naval ship casts shadows over our dimly-lit deck as it pulls up parallel to us, a plank sliding across the gap. The sailors march or swing across on to our ship, and I raise my arms in surrender, Peter and the Boys following suit. The sailors shackle the Boys, a long chain linking them all together, and I roll my eyes at the excessive use.

"How did they find us?" Peter whispers.

"I don't know, someone must have told them, but who? I have no idea..." I whisper back.

"By Order of His Majesty, the crew of this vessel and its Captain are to return to the mainland for an audience with the King himself," a familiar voice sounds behind me. I turn.

"Cutler Beckett," I say aloud, with a grimace, casting him a glare.

"Miss Jones...what an unpleasant surprise," he replies.

"It's Captain Jones, actually. The feeling's mutual."

"You? Captain? No, don't be ridiculous, where are your parents? The real Captains?" Beckett replies.

"Let me just go and get them, but apologies in advance for the wait, might take me a while to retrieve them from Davy Jones' locker," I reply.

"I see...but surely not a...woman at the helm? Women at sea is bad luck, let alone as Captain..."

"And a bilge rat wearing a pompous powdered wig to cover his balding head is an assault on the eyes," I retort with a smile. "Yet here we both are."

His face falls, some of his crew stifle their laughter, but he ignores my comment. "You and your crew are hereby ordered to dine with His Royal Highness. If you do not obey, you shall be sentenced to death with the charge of piracy to the highest degree."

"Except, this is Tortuga, by law, you can't arrest us," I say.

"I thought you might say that, but unfortunately for you Jones, officially you've left the port and waters of Tortuga, and now we have complete jurisdiction over you, your crew, and your ship."

"Dinner it is, I suppose," I respond, smiling with pursed lips.

"Wonderful. Men, seize them all, strike the sails and bring a Spring Upon her. Can't have you escaping," Beckett instructs, making smug eye contact with me.