Mythical Voyage: Siren Song

[Jacksblackpearl]

Serena brushed her hair aside, as it was almost falling in the inkbottle. She had been working on a map of the ocean, near Terra Australis Incognita. People were still working out what the land looked like, but thanks to the British navy sailors she had enough information to create a detailed map of the waters around it.
She put the quil aside and leaned back in her chair, resting for a minute. It was precise work and every now and then she needed to sit back, observe the work she had done and take a break. Her eyes travelled across the desk. It still had the nameplate of her father on it. Well.. not so much her father as the father of Elena Blaeu, whose identity she had stolen for the purpose of a much more important task.

Sparrow.. she thought, her eyes now drifting to the few notes on the side of her desk. They were cries for help from British navy sailors who did not manage to complete their journey and come back safely.
the mermaids and sirens are doing all they to solve their problems. But it's not the way.. she sighed deeply. Killing innocent sailors would not bring Sparrow to Atlantis, it would not restore peace..

'Mrs. Blaeu?' a young man, almost still a boy stood in the door opening

'it's miss' Serena got up from her desk 'what is it, boy?'

'I have a letter for you, miss. ' he walked into the room, handed the letter over and turned around to leave

'thank you' Serena mumbled, opening the letter, skimming it
Dear Ms. Blaeu

Hereby we'd like to invite you to a voyage with the royal navy

blablabla yadayadayada

..we are in need of your help to solve the mystery of the missing ships and British sailors.
Since you are the one who has made the maps of the area we'll sail to, we kindly advice you to join us. The Royal Navy will pay for all your expences.

...we would like to point out that declining this request is not an option

kind regards,

Captain M. Ainsworth

'well i'll be damned' she mumbled, not happy with this news. She ran over to the side of her room, collected her cloak, wrapped it around her shoulders and headed out the door. A short carriageride later she found herself at mr. Ainsworth's office. She knocked on the door, loud and clear.

[boo radley]

Jack lay on the floor in his cell, staring at the ceiling. This wasn't the first time he'd been in jail. To his right was Penny, who was pacing. Jack contemplated the effects of bantering with the guard, who didn't seem too smart, to begin with. Why do that when you've got a pretty woman with you? He turned to face Penny. "Y'know, luv, all that walking will wear your feet down."

Jack began to examine his nails, pondering. The last thing they'd done was steal a map - a very, very precious map - from within the confines of a British office. This map was the last thing Jack needed in order to get that which he had been after for quite a while: the Elixir of Caladonis. Legend had it that at the dawn of the age of piracy, Caladonis had discovered an elixir to keep himself almost invulnerable. And, of course, no pirate was more worthy than Jack Sparrow. There were only two things he needed: the map that lead to the treasure, and the spirit of Acheolus, which would help him to control the many-headed sea serpent that guarded the cave in which the elixir was held. And oh, how he wanted that elixir.

Jack blinked out of his ongoing thought processes and looked at Penny. "Well?"

[Daz]

A fairly young man, in a fairly well-dressed suit, sat at his table with a pair of dark eyes fixated on a map in front of him.
His hair almost fell into his line of view before he stopped it swiftly with his fingers.
He wore the formal red of a naval captain; though it was a deeper shade than the rest, a maroon, almost. His cuffs were lined with a golden finish, as were the button holes and collar. They matched the golden ring that sat on his smallest finger as his hand touched his dark hair, it was a signet ring, slightly misshapen and worn, but it remained there, gleaming in the Caribbean sunlight as it poured in through the window.

The knock at the door was a welcome break from the strain of reading such articles. It seemed to him that the position of Captain was becoming nothing but a bureaucratic nightmare since this current voyage was scheduled.
The office was confined and almost empty, he was the most regal thing about the shabby, wooden walls, left bare without their usual ceremonial dress.

His eyes left the map for a second, as he registered the knocking at the door,

“Come in.” He muttered, seemingly more uninterested in the visitor than he indeed was.

His eyes flicked back to the map before the door opened, as to look busy and slightly more important.

---

“I see little else to do.” The girl replied, glancing down at him before slowly coming to a halt and simply staring, “I’m sick of laying, sitting, sleeping, itching, this place is disgusting. I can’t bear to do anything but stand!”

She frowned to herself and looked around once more at the bleak, damp surroundings of the jail.

“And you can’t go and hang a lady with no feet.” She added, after a while.

[Jacksblackpearl]

Serena swung the door open 'What is this?!' she asked, her voice raised, not able to keep her rage in tone. 'You summon me to a voyage at sea ? what is this all about' she walked over to Ainsworth's desk and grabbed the map he was still studying, out of his hands and pushed it on top of the desk, her hand in front of the Captain, her face closer 'You know just as well as I do that there is no place for a cartographer on board, that is NOT part of my duty to the Royal Navy and the King' She muttered.

Serena was highly unhappy with the sudden request for departing England within a day. She had more important things to do here. Last she heard and felt, Jack Sparrow had set foot in England. She had to track him down and deal with him, rather than leave the country and help forlorn sailors at sea. Little did she know that the Royal Navy already had captured Sparrow and needed him on this journey too...

[Daz]

He frowned at this and immediately stood up, as to be on the same level as her.
"I take it that you are the map-maker everyone has been talking about." He replied, a vaguely harsh tone in his voice, "I believe you have very little choice in the matter, if it is by order of myself, it is also by order of the crown. And you wouldn't want to go against the crown, now would you? I have very little time for you today, if you have a serious problem in following these orders I suggest you go elsewhere."

[boo radley]

"Eh, just as well." Jack sat up and rubbed his eyes. Little amounts of kohl made it onto his hand. Not that he was paying attention, of course. "Not much to do in this bloody cell 'till help comes by. Wonder where the rest of the crew are with my ship." And with that, Jack began pacing, himself, thinking of options. If the guard wasn't an idealist, it would be easy to bribe him into letting the two pirates free. Of course, they'd come up with some wild and incredibly ludicrous tale as to what actually happened, and the legend of Jack Sparrow would continue to grow.

[Daz]

Penny frowned at him as he began pacing himself. She stood there with a hand to her side and the other against the bars of the cell. It wasn't the first time she'd found herself in such a place, but it didn't happen often. She prefered not to make a habit of getting involved in any part of the law - but this was a lot easier when she worked alone, and when escaping danger no problem at all. But with such an obvious pirate as a companion in this city, she should have known it would get her noticed.
Her opinion of Jack was low, she didn't believe half of the stories he told, nor the stories others told about him. He was nothing but another captain, with schemes as ridiculous as the next. So why she had even allowed herself to fall into this was irritating her to the core. She had done it for the money and the chance to get along, not to wind up even lower in life, and alongside him for even longer.
"We'll probably be dead by sunset." She predicted, casually.

[boo radley]

Jack stopped in his tracks and gave Penny a strange look. "Why in hell would you say something like that, luv? By sunset we'll be...sailing off into the distance." With lots of rum, Jack thought to himself. Lots of rum. But Penny was right - there was a good chance they wouldn't make it out of England alive. Jack climbed aboard the rotten wooden bench upon which Penny slept to peer out the small, barred hole of a window to look into the sea. The sun was still high in the sky. "We've got plenty of time."

[Jacksblackpearl]

'Make time' she told him, not backing down. 'Why do you need me ? of all people. Aren't there any others that can help you with this ? preferably ones with sealegs and no reasons to stay in England ? I am otherwise engaged, I will not be able to make it on this journey' she said, flat out. If she were to be arrested by the King, she'd find a way to magic her way out of it. She had to stand by her most important duty first.

[Daz]

"You've already proved what yer capable of, Sparrow." Penny frowned again, fustrated, "If you play any games we'll just end up at the gallows sooner rather than later."

"I'd presume a woman such as yourself would be used to being at sea, how else would you make these maps?" He argued, "Unless, of course, you forge them. Your excuses don't make much sense, I'm afraid. What is it that you find yourself otherwise engaged with?"