Pirates Of The Caribbean Fan Fiction ❯ Lost in Translation (Pirates of the Caribbean) ❯ The Curse of Isidro Saez ( Chapter 2 )

Chapter Two:
The Curse of Isidro Saez

 

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Jack stood at the helm longing for a bottle of rum to either drink or use to knock Gibbs unconscious with. Once again his first mate was muttering incessantly about women bringing bad luck to ships. Finally Jack rolled his eyes, unable to take anymore.

“It might just be me, mate, but I'm thinking your bad luck with the lasses might come from all the complaining you do about `em,” he offered and then smirked a bit when Gibbs looked over at him.

“They bring bad luck no matter what. Ship's are not a place for women to be...” Jack tried not to grin when Kaitlyn stepped up behind Gibbs quietly and listened to him rant for a moment.

“Excuse me; I'd like to speak with the Captain before my presence here causes the ship to capsize.”

 

Gibbs' nearly choked on his words before turning to face her. “Aye, lass, got work to be doin' anyway,” he mumbled and gave Jack an annoyed look then went off to find something to keep himself busy.

Jack grinned at her then looked at the parchment she was holding. “Get it translated yet, love?”

“Yes, I did. You have no idea what it is you're looking for do you, Mr. Sparrow?”

 

Jack smirked a bit at the way she addressed him. “Captain Sparrow. And if I could read it myself, I wouldn't have bothered finding a person to translate it, now would I?”

“I suppose not, though—" she paused and looked back at him with a smirk. “I would think someone as infamous as you would at least have an idea of what you're looking for."

 

Instantly Jack face was aglow with that famous smirk of his. “Ah...so you've heard of me before?”

“Once or twice; I was expecting you to be a little more—coherent,” she answered. Honestly, she had no reason to dislike him and found him rather interesting. The way he nearly pranced around at times and seemed to be drunk despite the fact she hadn't seen him touch a drop of alcohol in the few hours she'd been on the ship, was almost amusing.

“It's the best way to keep my enemies off balance. Keep 'em guessing about what I'll do next,” he replied smugly. He found him self guessing a bit about her too. He'd been surprised when she began talking with the crew and didn't complain and try to hide from the sun the way most well off women would on a ship.

"Or keep them wondering if you're truly insane or it's merely an elaborate act," she inserted with a smirk.

 

Jack grinned at her wickedly. "I can assure you that it's not an act, darling," he said in a hushed voice. She found herself trying not to blush and quickly averted her eyes to the paper she was carrying.

“Yes, well, this parchment is speaking of a statue. You did know that much didn't you?”

“Aye, that's what I was told,” he said and waited for her to continue.

“Have you heard the name Isidro Saez?”

Jack nodded a bit, “Name rings a bell.”

“Isidro Saez cursed the statue you're looking for, or so the rumors say. Many wealthy men would love to get their hands on it. This—” she said and then held the parchment up, "is just a warning not to touch it." He looked at the paper when she held it up. The damn thing didn't even tell him where to begin looking?

“So you can't tell me where to find it then?" He questioned.

“That's not entirely true; I've read the story of Isidro Saez before, it's not a pleasant one. If the rumors about the statue are true, then it's still where he left it.” Jack grinned a bit; the lass was being coy with him.

“You will, no doubt, want something for the new information.” He was used to dealing with pirates and knew nothing ever came without a price.

“Yes, actually; I would like to remain on the ship until you've retrieved the statue. I'd rather not rush to Port Summers. I have reason to believe my father would look for me there,” she stated simply, not offering any more information than necessary.

“You're willing to risk being cursed, love?” He asked while still grinning.

“I hardly believe a man that's been dead for fifty years will be affecting me and even if he did...it wouldn't matter much. Anyone that's been rumored to go for the statue has never been heard from again,” she said. Jack nodded a bit. At one time he would have laughed off talks of curses but knew better than to do that now.

“Why'd Saez curse the thing?” He figured he might as well know what he was getting himself into.

“Isidro Saez was born in Spain but grew up in Portugal. He came across to the Caribbean in his late twenties after spending some time in London. He worked as a merchant trader and met a young woman not long after coming here. Apparently he fell in love and became engaged to her but ended up with some trouble on his ship. Some of his men were making wagers with pirates that they couldn't afford to pay.” She stopped for a moment giving some thought to what exactly she had read about it.

“Eventually he and his crew began doing some plundering to get the money so they wouldn't be killed for the debts. Unfortunately, they plundered a pirate ship that was run by a man named Captain Flanagan. Flanagan found out who they where and intended to collect on a Dette de sang,” she told him.

“Ah...a debt of blood, that would be part of the code. You plunder a pirate ship, the pirates is going to spill some blood,” Jack said. When a Captain was entitled to a Dette de Sang, the other Captain couldn't object, he had to give up a member of his crew. It kept pirates from plundering and killing each other too badly, it was a way to help keep an order to things.

Kaitlyn nodded, “Yes, well...the blood to be spilled was Catalina Ynez Morales', Isidro's fiancé. Without thought to his crew and their debts, he turned over all of their money and treasure to Flanagan in exchange for her life. He only saved a small, gold statue of an angel that they had stolen from a ship that was on its way back to England. He gave it to Catalina as a gift the last night they were together. His crew men were less than pleased about what he'd done and planned a mutiny. They locked Saez in the brig then took Catalina to an island and left her shackled in a cavern to die. Isidro was in the brig for nearly three weeks before they let him out.” She glanced down at the parchment again before looking back up at Jack.

“The story says he took the statue when they let him out, then he was thrown off the ship. He made his way back to the island but it was far too late to save Catalina. He buried the statue there, where she had died, and then killed himself. The parchment says anyone that attempts to retrieve it will suffer.”

“It's a tragic story for sure, love, but that doesn't mean there's a curse,” Jack said then took the parchment.

“If I believed there was, I certainly wouldn't be willing to stay on your ship while you go looking for it,” she replied dryly. Jack looked at her again then focused on the helm.

“How old are you, love?” He seen many girls her age and probably younger working in brothels, but she was hardly a wench or strumpet. Young lasses like her didn't just climb onto pirate ships and leave home everyday.

“I don't see how my age makes a difference, but I'm twenty two years old,” she replied not making an attempt to say more about herself.

“A bit older than I thought. Surprised you aren't married off yet,” he said offhandedly. It was a bit odd that a woman of her class not already have herself a husband, and in some cases, children.

“It's not from my father's lack of trying; believe me, Mr. Sparrow. I'm not exactly what you would call—obedient.” Her words perked his interests.

“It's Captain Sparrow, lass,” he repeated again then smirked. “Get in a spot of trouble at home?”

“I was always in a spot of trouble at home,” she sighed before grinning at him then lifting up the bottom of her dress to show him her shoes. “This time I was just getting revenge.” Jack looked down at her shoes then back up to her not quite catching her meaning.

“Revenge, eh? Tell me, what exactly does a young, privileged lass, such as yourself, need revenge for exactly?”

“My father was always inviting people over for dinners and such, mostly Navy Officers or other rich old men that where a bore to be around. But lately he's been bringing around younger men, hoping that one would catch my fancy. I have a horrible tendency to speak out of place, and almost always end up insulting his guests. It infuriates my father but I just can't help speaking my mind when pompous old windbags think they're smarter than I am.” She grinned to herself before continuing.

“The last time my parents had a social gathering, I was informed I wasn't allowed to speak unless it was to accept a marriage proposal. I stayed quiet the entire evening and was on my best behavior. The next day I bought myself some new shoes and clothes, I spent nearly fifty pounds of his money,” she grinned wickedly. “But they are nice shoes. It was an expensive lesson for my father but he hasn't asked me to any more of the dinners since then.”

It was Jack's turn to grin, 'Lass might be rich, but has a bit of fire in her, I'll give her that much.'

"Do you plan on telling me what's waiting for you in Port Summers?” He asked, hoping maybe she'd be willing to talk a bit more now. He didn't need to know her life story but wanted to know what to expect when they dropped her off. Again she hesitated before speaking.

“There's a woman living there that I would like to see again,” she smiled slightly. “Her name is Isabel. She was a maid at my home while I was growing up. She was born in Spain and lived there most of her young life, it's how I learned to speak Spanish and some Portuguese. She learned English but mostly spoke Spanish or Portuguese when my parents weren't around...which...was often.”

Jack watched her for a moment and then nodded. He could tell she didn't care to talk about her family and wasn't going to ask too many questions. He'd found out what he needed to know anyway, it was just a friend he was taking her too, hopefully nothing that'd cause him too much hassle.

“I will see you safely to Port Summers then, Katie,” he said with a wicked grin. He could see her refraining from making a comment about her new nick name. He would convince her to call him Captain one way or another.