(EDITED)

Okay, I am just clarifying to some who may not have seen my earlier post. I am re-editing my stories. I have hopefully worked out all the kinks and have added a few clarifying details here and there. To those who have already read this story, I do not think that any of my changes will be story-altering. Again, I apologize for my extremely long absence.

To any new readers. Hello! Welcome aboard!

I just want to specify a few small details about this story:

1. This story will have a lot of flashbacks, and all flashbacks will be in italics. The first chapter will be an entire flashback and then chapter 2 will start back in the beginning of Curse of The Black Pearl.

Okay, Thanks! Happy reading, and PLEASE REVIEW! :D

The Wicked Wench was nearly to Port Royal. We knew that if we could make it there, we would be safe.

"Captain Jack! Ship approaching on the starboard side!" I heard Aria shout from the crow's nest.

I quickly set down my book and ran up to the deck. Sure enough, there was a grand ship swiftly making its way near the Wench. I softly climbed the steps up to the helm, utterly depleted of emotion. As I reached the top, I glanced at Jack nervously. The once happy and carefree demeanor that Jack often wore had been washed away by his worry. His face was now grim and ashen.

"The Endeavor," he told me, and sure enough when I glanced back out at the stormy sea it was the Endeavor that I saw. No. Beckett was coming? How had he found us?

Aria scurried up to the helm to meet us, the fear eminent in her eyes. I turned back to Jack.

"Jack, can we outrun them? The Wench is the fastest ship in the Caribbean!"

He shook his head sadly and put a hand on my shoulder, "We can't run forever Alice, not after what we did to the Company."

He grabbed both of my shoulders, "Take Aria and go into my cabin, you'll be safer there. Stay there until I come for you."

He glanced down at Aria quickly before meeting my eyes again. I could tell that he wanted to say something, but after a moment Jack released me from his tight grip. He grabbed onto the wheel once more and turned to approach the Endeavor.

I turned back toward the deck when I heard Aria speak. "Alice, are we going to die?" she asked me somberly.

I glanced back at Jack, looking for some encouraging gesture, but found naught but worry in his eyes.

"No darling, we'll be fine," I grabbed her hand and we descended the stairs of the helm before I led her to the captain's cabin.

After I closed the door, I picked up my locket. My father had given it to me when I was five years old. It was special, or so he told me. He had said that it had belonged to Queen Anne Boleyn and that she supposedly gave it to her lover, Blackbeard, before King Henry the eighth had her executed.

Supposedly being the key word. I never believed this tale. How could Blackbeard be alive now and harassing the seas, yet also have been living almost 100 years before?

Despite the rather odd story that Father had told me, the locket itself was special because he had acquired it on a business trip for me. The locket played a pretty tune, a song my mother used to sing to me every night when I was little; it was the tune I now sing Aria to sleep with.

Aria sat upon the floor with her eyes closed; she was humming a strange, hauntingly beautiful tune that she somehow knew by heart. This song was only one of the many things I did not know about her past.

I sat down next to her and just listened, because I knew she was frightened and just wanted someone to be there, just to listen. When I saw the tears streaming out of her eyes, I wrapped her in a hug. I lifted the small seven-year-old girl on my lap and rocked her to sleep, singing the song from my locket.

The door opened abruptly and I looked up to see Jack come in. "Beckett wants us aboard his ship Alice. Come on."

He waited for me to stand up, still holding Aria as she slept. The moment that I followed him out on deck a sudden feeling, an urge to flee overcame me, but I continued following Jack, with a sense of icy dread snaking through me until I was freezing in the sweltering Caribbean air.

The door to Beckett's office was closed behind us. Jack and I glanced at each other and then resumed peering forward as we heard Beckett stride into the room. Neither of us wanted to look at his self-righteous face. I wanted to smack the smug look off of his complacent air, but I limited myself, knowing I had Aria in my arms.

"Well, come, come, we haven't got all day, take a seat. Oh, and Miss Kingsley, do give that sleeping...child to my assistant, Mercer. He will escort her to a room to sleep in. One befitting to her," he smirked at the last part, but I knew I had no say in the matter. I walked over to Mercer and gently gave Aria to him.

"I swear if you harm her..." I snarled at him menacingly, but only loud enough for him to hear.

"Wouldn't dream of it missy," he replied, leaving the room with Aria. I walked back to my seat next to Jack and sat down.

"Now that that is taken care of, I suggest we get down to business then, shall we?" Beckett sneered at Jack. "You, Jack Sparrow, have lost an entire shipload of cargo. Haven't you?"

Jack looked up boldly at Beckett's eyes, "People, are not cargo mate. I would not be the one to deliver them to their fates. They shouldn't be treated that way."

Beckett was clearly angry with this reply, "Where are the slaves Jack? Where are they!"

Jack glanced at me, a ghost of a smile on his face, "I don't rightly know. Must have been lost at sea," he smirked, knowing he wouldn't tell Beckett where they were.

Beckett looked about to blow a gasket, but calmed himself and turned on me. "Miss Kingsley, I do believe that you have one of my slaves right now, yes?" I glanced at Jack worried; I knew where this was going.

"I do not know what you mean Mr. Beckett, unless you are referring to my daughter," I smiled pleasurably, "Sweet Aria, she's adopted, of course, but I assure you that she is no slave."

Beckett walked forward and stopped directly in front of me, "Miss Kingsley, I do believe that your parents-"

"Adopted. My parents are dead. I thought you of all people would know that. I'm adopted, just like Aria," I interrupted.

He smiled coolly, "Yes, Lord and Lady Ashwood. Your adoptive parents. I do believe that they sold your little Aria to me. She was going to the new world, but you took her and left-"

"I do not know what you are talking about," I interrupted again.

"Miss Kingsley! Do not deny the truth. You stole my property from me."

I started to speak again, but Beckett quickly held his hand up, "No Miss Kingsley, it would be in your best interest to not interrupt me again. Now Miss Kingsley, unlike Mr. Sparrow here, you can save yourself of the penalty that Mr. Sparrow will receive. Now to do this of course, you must relinquish Aria to me, so I can sell her to the new world."

I looked up at him blatantly, "Is that all I must do Mr. Beckett? Give you Aria, so that you may sell her back into slavery! My god! She is only a child! And my answer, sir, is-"

He stopped me with a raised hand and chuckled, "Oh, that is not all." He grasped my hand and started to kneel. Oh, please no! Please Beckett do not be doing what I think you are doing! "Alice Elianore Kingsley, will you marry me?" Oh damn. Did he really just ask that of me?

"My answer to both of your questions are, and forever will be no!" I shrieked at him.

He seemed taken aback and released my hand. "Alice-"

"Miss Kingsley to you," I spoke icily through clenched teeth. The anger seemed to grow in him.

"I would seriously reconsider your answer, Miss Kingsley," he spat as calmly as he could muster, with the anger of being rejected flowing through him.

"If you think I would ever marry you, especially after asking me to give Aria back into slavery, well then you Mr. Beckett are foolish, and you can just go to hell!"

"Miss Kingsley," Beckett roared, "I try to offer you an escape, but you have to be insolent! My word, Lord Ashwood was right about you! You are a defiant young thing, aren't you! Well I can be as cruel as I need to be in order to get what I want. Mr. Mercer, take them to the brig!"

Thank you for reading! If you have any questions, feel free to message me.

XOXO Galinda Sparrow