Pirates of the Caribbean: The Price of Freedom

treasure!—to Cutler Beckett, but, really, using black powder to blow
holes in things was so bloody noisy. It tended to bring guards down
upon one’s ears, and cause all manner of havoc.
After he’d told her the story of how he’d encountered her father,
he’d let her have a go at trying Tia Dalma’s compass, and they’d see
whether her desire to find her brother made the compass react. Jack
really hoped Prince Shabako was still alive—and still had his bracelet!
—and not just because it would make things so much easier for him.
He hoped the prince was still alive because it would break his
extremely pretty sister’s heart if he wasn’t.
Watching Ayisha eat, he smiled at her, glad she was getting her
sea legs and regaining her strength, because he really needed her to
find Shabako. After they had collected her brother, it would be time to
go after the third bracelet. And Jack was confident that he knew where
it was.
All the while he’d been having golden fantasies, Ayisha had been
slowly spooning up broth, nibbling broth-soaked bread, and, every so
often, taking a sip of the watered wine. Finally, she gave him that faint,
enigmatic smile again. “I could eat more, but I’ll stop now. Thank you,
Cap…Jack, I mean.”
Jack nodded. “Do you feel up to talking now?”
“Yes,” she said. “I want to hear how you encountered my father.
Please tell me everything.”
He took off his hat, then tugged at his neckcloth, loosening it
slightly. The breeze was pleasant, but they were still fairly close to the
equator. She noticed. “Jack, please be comfortable. It will not offend
me if you remove your coat.”
“Thanks,” Jack said, gratefully, and did so. Then he sat down on
the table, because she was occupying the only chair, and because his
story was going to take a while.
Looking down at her, he hesitated. “This won’t be easy telling. Or
easy hearing,” he said, finally.
Ayisha nodded. “I am fairly warned, then.” Leaning forward, she
put out a hand to touch the edge of his sleeve. She was clutching her
shawl around her, but Jack fancied he could see a trace of the real
woman in her expression of unflinching determination. “Jack…I want to