Off the Map - A Pirates of the Caribbean AU

Days passed and turned into a week aboard the Dutch ship. Jack waited as patiently as he was able. Certainly, it would be simple enough to break free of their holding cell, but then they would have the entirety of the crew to contend with and still be stranded at sea if they made it off ship. Without the seal skin, Jack's compass, and anything else of value besides their own bodies. So he waited, biding his time in anticipation of the opportune moment. As time passed, the crew became visibly more agitated with his presence and apparent uselessness. They were taking their wants and disappointments out on the selkie, which was sad to see, but Jack felt it was inevitable, regardless of his own involvement. With the debt they had been put into and the long months at sea for no hope of reward, the men were bound to become restless. The selkie, though, could take less and less as time went by. The men used him more than he was able to handle. Even before Jack showed up with hope of lightening the load, it was becoming too much. But now everyone was nearing the end of their mental ropes. The selkie went from attacking Jack when he'd take up more than a small corner of their tiny cell, to curling up in guilt and shame soon after, his moods as unpreictable as the fat captain of their floating prison.

Then men used the animal's fading sanity for entertainment, grabbing Jack through the bars and shoving him as hard as they could into the seal to get a fight. Jack wasn't hurt or damaged much because the seal was too weak but it was funny to them to see it and afterward the selkie was so exhausted they could drag him out without being bit and scratched (something that had started happening too often now).

The Captain put a stop to this to keep his meal ticket healthy and in tact. He moved the pirate back to his own cell. After a few days left on his own, with only occasional visits to the Captain's quarters --every one of them odd and slightly frightening with the way the man's moods would shift and change so suddenly-- Jack decided to risk giving in to the fat Dutchman's requests. If this was to be the price of avoiding the crew's clamoring for him and to remain safe and alive aboard the ship, then so be it. It wasn't so much giving in as just part of the plan, besides.

Sparrow had, for days, been promising groups of the men freedom from their debts and a chance to start over if only they mutinied. He asked if they had ever heard of him, the Great Captain Jack Sparrow. Or seen a ship with black sails.
By the time they were nearing land, Jack had spun a story to make him look like all of history's greatest sailors incarnate and the second coming rolled into one handsome frame. The crew were desperate enough.

Today, they would be dropping anchor and a small contingent of men would be going ashore with the captain to dig up the riches he had promised them. Some other sailor's hidden wealth awaited them. Thanks to the paranoia planted carefully by Jack's 'helpful' conversations, the captain had determined to go ashore with only his most trusted and loyal men. They would then shoot the least loyal upon return to the ship. Jack would keep them distracted for him, since he was so important to Jack and his 'brother'.


Jack is annoyed at being in his cell again. He's going to have to count on the selkie's cooperation and that's the only unsteady variable in his plan. He has enough confidence in himself and the effect he's had on the crew, though. The selkie may not be necessary.
He feels the rocking of the ship increase and knows that their closer to land. Then he finally hears the splash of the anchor hitting the water. Jack grins and waits to hear the longboat go into the water before getting up and going to the bars. If he's lucky, one of the crewmen will come down and open his cell. If not....
"Selkie! Wakey wakey, mate. 'Soon' has come."