Francesca Barbossa's Daughter

Chapter One

Francesca, Barbossa's daughter was no ordinary young woman. Her father was a pirate yet he had managed to put her through schooling while he traveled quite a lot around the Caribbean. But Francesca was now eighteen years of age and the convent had released her. With no where to go but to her father she was now brought to the docks of Port Royal, she was to meet her father Barbossa there and be brought on board the ship, the Black Pearl. Nervously she clenched her hands together peering out the carriage window. She pondered asking herself, what am I doing? I am about to board a ship inhabited by only men. But I'm not going to let that stop me from boarding the Black Pearl this once. She peered out the window again as she noticed she was at the docks already. She closed her eyes feeling overwhelmed with nervousness, and whispered to herself, "just breath". Her father was first mate and she had heard so many stories from him about his Captain Jack Sparrow, and she was more than curious about meeting him. Although it seemed her nervousness was starting to get the better of her. She remembered the way her father had the ability to mask emotions and she wondered if she would be able to mask her own emotions as well as her father did. No wonder he had been successful at sea.

With her eyes still closed trying to breath, Francesca felt the carriage come to a halt. suddenly she opened her eyes as the driver opened the door. The driver then helped her out she stepped out grabbing on to her long light blue dress, she stood up straight with no fear in her eyes at all, only a fascinated expression as she breathed in the salty sea breeze for the first time. she then scanned the docks as the men passed her by looking at her. She didn't look away from them not once and starred them in the eyes as they passed. On the outside she looked fearless a woman who feared no living man no matter what size he might be, and her posture was supercilious. the driver then escorted her towards the Black Pearl. Two of the crew men stood in front of the ship, one skinny, blonde haired one, the other short bald headed one with long hair around the lower part of his head. both looked grotesquely dirty and gave off a foul smell.

"Ye be Francesca?" The bald one said brusquely.

"Yes, I'm Francesca," she replied as she covered her nose a bit with her right hand.

"I be Pintel an' this here is Ragetti," the man said pointing at the skinny one who giggled and looked down. Fran immediately noticed he wasn't all there. "it be our duty to help ye on board poppet," Pintel grinned to Ragetti. Francesca looked at them both and knew they meant to minimize her.

"That won't be necessary, I can climb on board myself just fine, thank you gentlemen," she disregarded them as she began to climb, both were amazed to see she had no difficulty climbing onto the ships deck. Francesca starred in amazement at the other ships. She then walked over to the other side of the ship, looking up to see the sky then towards the sea that seemed to have no ending. It was if the sea was the insanity of the sky. She was free at last, she was as free as the sea. Francesca had always wanted to sail with her father, but he insisted it was not ladylike to do so. Now he had no choice but to bring her along on this mission that was suppose to be his last. He had told her about a great treasure he and this so called Jack Sparrow had discovered, and she was lucky to be admitted at least this once on the Black Pearl.

As she stood for a moment on deck looking out at the water below she turned slowly to notice that all the crew had stopped doing their work and were starring at her motionless, again she felt nervous but starred back at them just the same. She then heard the heavy footsteps on the wooden deck, she recognized it immediately as Barbossa came into view. He stood in front of her for a moment looking at her, she then smiled running towards him hugging him placing a kiss on his right cheek. Barbossa looked at her studying her black hair that was put up and a few curls that fell to her face with the wind. She had a demanding presence besides her youthful looks. Her eyes were the kind you could see eternity into, dark as ebony, and her skin was a clear tan. The men noticed that she had her fathers structure, she was a tall woman, and like him she was not an ordinary person, she was her fathers daughter.

"Papa!" Francesca called out as she hugged and kissed Barbossa, the crew then began a small scuffle. She turned around a bit as she heard one of the men curse then another. Ignoring the matter she turned towards her father again.

"Franny, just look at ye lass I can't believe it," Barbossa hugged her and stepped away to have a look at her. She smiled at him as he studied her. He looked deep into her eyes and starred for a moment, "ye look just like yer mother," as Barbossa said this her smiled faded, then she heard the scuffle among the men intensify as a tall, black, muscular built man who seemed to be in charge punched one of the other men to calm him down. Francesca watched all of this and turned back to her father with fascination in her eyes she'd never seen such violence and she yearned for it. Barbossa then smiled at her and walked closer to her ear whispering, "that be Bo' sun, good help around here if ye know what I mean," Barbossa grinned as he looked back at the crew who was now silent looking at Francesca like a pack of hungry wolves.

"Well! Aren't ye gonna introduce me mate?" Jack said as Barbossa looked at him as he announced his presence. Francesca then slowly turned hearing his voice. Meeting each others eyes for the first time, both stood motionless in close examination, looking at each other up and down. She couldn't deny it, he was handsome and younger than her father yet he was the Captain of the Black Pearl, the fastest ship in the Caribbean.

There was a sudden silence on deck as they stood motionless starring at each other, the crew looked at Francesca then at Jack and all that could be heard was the wind. Barbossa noticed it as well as he looked at Francesca's expression, and her breast moving up and down heavily. He then starred at them in suspicion and decided to break the silence.

"Jack I'd like ye to meet me daughter, Francesca. Fran this be me Captain Jack Sparrow," Barbossa said as Jack walked over to Fran and kissed her hand.

" The pleasure be mine lass, welcome to the Black Pearl," Jack then studied her up and down.

" It's good to finally meet the famous Jack Sparrow. My father has told me a lot about you," she smiled slightly.

" I hope it was all good things," he grinned at her. Suddenly the crew again became scuffled as one of the men started to fight among themselves, punching and arguing with each other. Jack turned to look at his crew not surprised at the fact they were arguing about Francesca. Suddenly as Jack turned to face Fran again a dagger came flying in the air between them landing on the mast where they stood in front of. Jack's eyes widened as he looked at the blade. Francesca looked back at one of the men from the crew who had accidentally thrown it towards them. She walked over to the mast pulling the dagger out with no effort at all as the crew stood silent looking at her. She looked at the dagger for a moment then grasped it with one hand throwing it back at the man as it landed in between his bare feet.

" I believe that is yours good sir," Fran said to the pirate who only looked at her in awe. Jack looked at her in fascination he never met a woman who could throw a dagger like that with such good aim, especially not a eighteen year old recently out of a convent. Jack then turned to look at Barbossa with a questioning look on his face. Barbossa smiled and winked at him as he walked up behind Fran grabbing her arm.

" Let us go lass don't want the crew to keep looking at ye," he whispered into her ear as they walked off to Jack's quarters, Jack followed then turned back to his crew who were still starring at Francesca as she left the deck.

" What are ye all looking at ye scurvy dogs!! Back to work!! Get this ship underway!!" Jack then turned back to walk into the quarters as his men got back to their duties. As he stepped in the quarters he closed the door behind him. He then looked curiously at Francesca as he stepped in and paced the floor for a moment.

" Ye have good aim for a convent girl lass, ye surprised not only me but the crew as well," Jack looked at her putting a hand to his mouth thoughtfully.

" I'm not Barbossa's daughter for nothing," she grinned at Jack as Barbossa smiled to himself as he heard these words. Jack smiled back at them both and looked at Barbossa.

" What can I say mate? Even though she's her mother's living image, there had to be a little of me in 'er," Barbossa laughed lightly as Jack looked back at Fran starring at her in fascination.

" As ye may know Francesca, as Captain of the ship I have rules," Jack said sitting down at the dining table while Barbossa held out a chair for Fran.

" Yes, I understand," Fran sat down in front of Jack as Barbossa stood behind her.

" Good, then ye know ye can't be on deck at daytime among the crew. You must stay in yer cabin or if ye like here in the quarters. That way yer father and I can keep a closer eye on ye." Jack grinned as he grabbed an apple from the basket on the table and bit into it.

" Agreed. I have no problem with it as long as I can come out during nighttime." Francesca starred at him as he chewed.

" Of course, you may go out on deck at night but one of us has to be with ye. If I may say, ye are a beautiful lass and I wouldn't doubt that one of me crew would try something stupid." Jack looked at her in the eyes and grinned again.

" Aye, Franny understands it all too well Jack. I'm sure she be no problem to the men," Barbossa said as a knock came at the door. Barbossa walked over and opened the door mean while Jack studied Francesca intensely not blinking once. Fran bowed her head feeling his gaze upon her which made her feel uncomfortable and nervous. Why did this man make her feel this way? Out of all the men she never once had looked away from one. She slowly managed to look at him only to find his eyes starring straight back at hers, she then looked down again. She thought to herself, how could it be that she was unafraid of anything she might think of, yet the gaze of this man made her look away. Why did she feel nervous? Why was she breathing heavily? She contemplated these questions as she looked down, suddenly she was interrupted as Barbossa turned back after talking with the man.

"Jack a fight be on deck, as first mate I must tend to put things in order. Would ye be so kind as to take me franny to 'er cabin?"

"Of course, I'll take her mate. She'll be fine," Jack said as he took a bite out of the apple again. Barbossa smiled as he turned to Fran who had a doubtful expression on her face.

" Papa, but I thought…" Fran said as Barbossa interrupted her.

" Now now Fran, I have work to do lass. Jack here will take ye to yer cabin, I'll see ye tonight lass," Barbossa turned and left closing the door behind him.

There was an odd silence in the room, Francesca could hear her own heartbeat. She was even afraid to look at Jack, again to be confronted with his deep dark piercing eyes. But some how she managed to look at him again with a worried expression on her face, only to find him with an amused look upon his face.

" So…a convent eh?" Jack said putting down the apple on the table.

" Yes, a convent. I've been there since my mother died."

" I see. So ye be pure and clean?" he asked taunting her tilting his head a bit. She looked up at him with a confused look.

" Yes," was all she managed to say. He chuckled a bit as he leaned towards her a bit.

" No wonder ye smell so sweet," he grinned at her.

" I don't think my papà would be so pleased with you talking to me like that, Captain," Francesca made her first come back.

" No, call me Jack, not Captain. For ye only Jack," he grinned.

" Very well, Jack, will you show me to my cabin?"

" Aye," Jack stood up from his chair as Fran immediately did the same, "follow me there be a secret passage towards the cabins through me quarters. This way ye can move about unnoticed," he walked over towards the mirror behind the dining table and pushed it in as the passage way came into view. Fran smiled a bit fascinated and walked through as Jack closed the door and walked her through the dark hallway that led to a couple of stairs that went down towards a door.

Francesca walked slowly through the dark hallway minding her every step. As she came to the stairs she stopped to look down and turned to Jack but before she could say anything, Jack not noticing she had stopped bumped into her making her stumble backwards. Desperately, trying to grab onto something the only thing she managed to grab onto was his shirt dragging him down with her. As she fell down hitting the door with her head, Jack tumbled on top of her, she looked up at him meeting his eyes that burned like heated coals. She then knew that from the first moment she had looked into them, being the pirate he was he'd stolen her heart.