The Rise of Libertas

The Rise of Libertas

Author's Note: The world and nearly all of it's characters are Disney's--the characters Robin and John, however, and the plot are mine.

This story is related to my fan fiction "Lady of the Sea," and though it is not necessary to read both stories, I highly recommend reading "Lady of the Sea" before "Rise of Libertas."  This is also related to my "Good Business" series.

Now sit back, relax, and enjoy this continuation of the Pirates saga...

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Silence enveloped the now dead city. The streets were filled with blood and dead bodies. Soldiers lined the streets at attention. Lord Cutler Beckett calmly walked through the port city, not even acknowledging the massacre around him. He stopped outside of an inn. He looked expectantly at a Lieutenant who was positioned outside of it.

"She's in here," the Lieutenant said, stepping from in front of the door.

Beckett smiled slightly as he nodded to the Lieutenant. He heard a woman singing, her voice floating from inside the inn. "Yo, ho, yo, ho, a pirates life for me…" Beckett entered the building.

Seated on the bar across from the door was a young woman. Two dozen soldiers all had their rifles trained on her, ready to fire, but the woman appeared to either not notice them, or not care. "We're rascals, we're scoundrels, we're villains and knaves, drink up, me hearties, yo ho." She took a large swig from a bottle of rum, throwing back her head and tossing her long, wavy, black hair. "We're devils, we're black sheep, we're really bad eggs, drink up, me hearties, yo ho."

Her eyes found Lord Beckett. She slid off of the bar, though she continued to lean against it. "Cutler Beckett," she said with a slight bow, her eyes surprisingly focused, given the amount of rum she seemed to have drunk. "What a…unpleasant surprise," she commented with a sweet smile.

Beckett nodded to her. "It's Lord now, Jacqueline."

The woman gave a look of feigned interest. "So sorry, Lord Beckett." She took a sip of rum. "And it's Robin now, actually." She took another large gulp of rum. "Oh, where are my manners? A drink?" She tossed the bottle of rum to Beckett, who caught it expertly, managing not to spill a drop from the open container. Robin grabbed another bottle from the bar, uncorked it, and drank still more rum from the new bottle. Beckett smelled the rum and wrinkled his nose; however, he tossed back his head and took a large swig. Robin smiled at him as he swallowed as though impressed. "What do you want?"

Beckett scanned Robin before speaking. "I am here to give you a chance to live."

Robin surveyed the soldiers and guns around her. "You killed everyone in Singapore…except me, the person you probably want dead the most." Robin walked toward him. "And you want me to believe I need something from you?" she said with a smile. "It isn't me who needs anything. It is you who needs something from me." She stopped right in front of him.

The side of Beckett's mouth pulled up into a grin. "You are cunning, Robin. Even when you're drunk."

"Ah!" Robin lifted her finger to his face. "Especially when I'm drunk, mate."

Beckett continued to smile. "I have an offer that will benefit both of us." Robin raised an eyebrow. "If you succeed, you will become a privateer in the employ of the East India Company."

"I could never work for your--." Beckett cut Robin off.

"If you are employed by England, the number of ships you will be able to…pirate…becomes severely limited. You would not be able to attack English ships, including East India ships. However, being employed by the East India Company, would make it so you could still attack English ships, as long as they are not under the Company's employ."

Robin nodded with a slight smile. "Reasonable--as long as I don't have to report directly to you."

Beckett's grimace was not completely hidden by his fake smile. "You will even be provided with a ship and crew."

"How kind, seeing as you murdered my crew and destroyed my ship," Robin said, nonchalantly examining her strangely clean fingernails.

Beckett's eyebrows came together. "Your ship? I was not aware you ever captained one," Beckett said, surprised.

"Well, I did. In your very recent rampage of Singapore, however, you destroyed it and my crew," Robin said, her voice in a tone that one would use while speaking of the weather. "Anyway, there is only one ship I really want. You know that." Robin looked up into Beckett's eyes, her brown eyes delving deeply into his. Beckett breathed deeply, and unsuccessfully attempted to look away.