Pirates of the Caribbean 05 The Age of Bronze

The Age of Bronze

The Age of Bronze (Pirates of the Caribbean: Jack Sparrow #5)

Rob Kidd

CHAPTER ONE

The azure sea twinkled below a perfect sun. Welcoming beaches of soft white sand skirted the coastline. Above the shore rose tall
grey
cliffs, dotted with rows of palm trees that swayed in the breeze. Little silver schools of fish leaped out of the water. For once, life was calm and good."This is what it's all about, mates," Jack Sparrow said, sighing. He stood at the rail of his boat, the Barnacle, taking in
a deep breath of the salty air.

"Can
`
t say it's unpleasant not to be on the run for once," first mate Arabella said in agreement. She tossed her auburn hair back and toasted the ocean with a raised golden goblet. Rubies sparkled along its rim.
Fitzwilliam P. Dalton III, a nobleman's son, ogled the cup and gave her a look."What?" she asked defensively. "It's only drinking water. I think I deserve a little special something after all we've been through. . . ."

"True enough, mon ami" Jean, another sailor, said, his green eyes twinkling. He clapped Fitzwilliam on the shoulder. "Leave Arabella alone. We all deserve a little special something' after our recent adventures, non?"

Constance, Jean's sister-turned-cat, meowed once in agreement, daintily cleaning one of her enorm
ous, evil-looking yellow claws.
"Yinb'ey pa wachoch," the Mayan sailor Tumen said, staring at the beach. Then he turned to the rest of his companions. "I'm going home," he translated."I haven't seen my home in over two years," Tumen continued. "I was kidnapped from my family by pirates. They took me right off the beach near our village. I was forced to work for them. I was sold from one ship to the next, including to some of your
honourable
English ships." He gave Fitzwilliam a look. "I am glad to finally be free, and I've had a lot of fun with you, but all I've ever wanted to do is go home."His eyes were wide and bright and he bit his lip, determined. But he was a little afraid to see how his mates would react."Point us in the right direction," Jack said with a grin and a bow. "W
e'll be glad to take you home."

Just a few hours of easy sailing later, the Barnacle came to a small protected bay. Piled here and there on the sands were carved
grey
boulders, covered in weathered inscriptions and designs. Behind the shore was a line of jagged hills. Perched along them was a cluster of huts, all facing the ocean. Columns of sweet-smelling smoke rose up from the village, but otherwise it was empty.

"No one's here!" Arabella said, surprised.

"Not very friendly relatives, eh?" Jack said, securing the anchor. "What'd you do to make them hide from you, mate?" Jack leaned in toward Arabella. "It's always the quiet ones you have to watch out for," he whispered."This is a European-style boat," Tumen pointed out. "The last time one came here, they kidnapped me and my cousins."

"Fascinat
ing!"

Fitzwilliam said, looking
through his spyglass. "I have always wanted to see a native village! Look at their primitive cooking fires!"Ahem." Arabella pushed the spyglass down, clearing her throat. "Ye might want to save yer anthropological observations for later, Master Dalton. This is Tumen's family. Can't ye show a little respect?"Tumen hoisted himself over the side of the Barnacle, landing with a faint splash in the shallow water. Heya!" he called.Two heads peered out from behind the trunk of a palm tree.

Cautiously, a little boy and girl eased themselves into the open, staring at the ship with untrusting eyes. Then the girl's face lit up. "Tumen!" she cried, running forward.Tumen grinned and grabbed her, throwing her into the air and laughing. The
little boy hugged Tumen's leg.
"Meet my brother and sister, Kan and Kay," he said proudly.More villagers began slowly emerging from the bushes and houses. They wore bright red
and
white clothes with
colourful
stripes woven into them. The women wore their hair up in thick black ropes braided with red
and
purple cords. Everyone grinned when they saw Tumen.An old man stepped forward. He was almost completely bald and bent over, but carried himself with the dignity and strength of a leader. His robe was red and white like the rest of the villagers, but had a series of purple crosses down the middle. He wore a necklace of jade and gold that glittered in the sun."Mam!" Tumen cried. The old man held up his hand and said something back, smiling thro
ugh crooked teeth.

Tumen ran up
the beach, grabbing the old man and hugging him."Who is this?" Fitzwilliam asked interestedly. "The witch doctor of your village?Tumen shook his head, still too happy to be annoyed at the very wrong term "witch doctor."

"This is my great-grandfather, Mam."

"Oh, I just love family reunions," Jack said, clapping his hands together. "Now, where's the food?"Arabella whacked him in the ribs."Mam, these are my friends," Tumen introduced, first in Mayan, then in English. "They are the only reasons I ever made it back home."The old man spoke, and his great-grandson translated. "He says this is an occasion for great celebration. The village will hold a ceremony tonight in my honor, and you are all invited
to come. There will be dancing
and feasting and storytelling.""Dancing?"

Fitzwilliam said with a sidelong glance at Arabella. "I would be most pleased if I could escort you tonight, my lady." He made a little bow and held out his hand. Despite herself, Arabella fairly glowed."Absolutely not," Jack snapped. "As captain of this ship, I should be the one to take her. To protect her from you and the rest of these ..." He waved his hand searching for the word. "... scallywags what sail aboard the Barnacle. I do have rank to pull, you know.""Come now, Jack," the future earl of Dalton said.

"You would not know how to dance the waltz. Surely.""And of course we can all just see you getting down with the natives like their best mate," Jack shot back. "You might get your beloved boots and trousers dirty."Arabella c
leared her throat. The two boys
stopped their arguing and turned. She had her hand on Jean's arm. The Creole boy was smiling wickedly."Mind ye two, I have already decided to go with Jean." she announced. "He's the one not acting like a total dolt, if you hadn't noticed."Jean gave a little mock bow to Jack and Fitzwilliam. "I give you permission to take my sister, mon capitan. You can protect her"Jack glared at Constan
ce.Tumen just rolled his eyes.

CHAPTER TWO

That night, the villagers built a huge bonfire on the beach. Giant logs were rolled up to sit on. The five crewmates of the Barnacle watched as dancers performed a rite of thankfulness. Jade and shell bracelets clacked in time to the music as the dancers stomped their feet. The lead wore a colorful headdress covered in feathers. Torches planted in the sand cast eerie shadows around his face. Men and women
in the audience chanted along.
"You must admit, this is fascinating," Fitzwilliam whispered to Arabella."It's a lot of fun, I'll grant ye that," Arabella conceded.Bowls of corn soup were passed around, as were tortillas stuffed with boiled eggs. Cooked manioc was served on leaves. Platters of fish garnished with oysters were set before them. Seabirds were roasted whole and served with avocado."This here meal is mighty tasty, mate," Jack said, chewing happily. "What do you call this, then?""Xoloitzcuintli," Tumen said with a faint smile."That some kind of rabbit or bird or something?""It is a small, hairless dog."Jack choked, spitt
ing out what was in his mouth.

Tumen and Jean laughed."I'm going to miss you, mon frere Jean said with a brave smile, putting his arm around Tumen. "We've been through a lot together."

"I could not have survived it without you," Tumen admitted.Constance rubbed up against Tumens leg, purring loudly. "I'm going to miss you, too," he said, scratching her under the chin.Giant stone mugs of chocolate were passed around. Arabella was delighted with the dessert and wound up drinking hers and Jean's. And part of Jack's. Then the villagers and the crew gathered around the fire. Tumen told the story of his adventures aboard the Barnacle. After that, he translated while his older brother, Chila, told the story of Tumen's kidnapping. Other people told tales abou
t their heroes' gods. When Mam
cleared his voice and tapped his cane on the ground, everyone was silent for his turn.

"He is telling a story about the greatest treasure mankind has ever known," Tumen explained in a whisper."Is it cursed?" Jack asked drily. "Any cursed people guarding it? Cursed ingots that minted it, cursed cats that claim to be its sister? Because as you know, I've sworn off anything involving magic and curses. Give me a nice buried treasure chest. Pirate's loot. An unlocked bank. Something simple."Mam shook his head at Jack. "This is a treasure not to be sought out," Tumen translated.

"It is a City of Gold.""El Dorado!" Fitzwilliam said, perking up. "I have heard of the place. The Spanish lost many men in expeditions sent looking for it. An utter waste of reso
urces," he said dismissively. T
umen translated Mam's response:

"Not El Dorado. This is something far
greater. This is another city.”

“
Well, where is it, man, I mean, Mam?" Jack said, frustrated. "It sounds like a right fine place to visit."Mam's black eyes grew unreadable as he looked at Jack. He spoke quietly. Tumen looked at him questionin
gly, then said it in English. "
Wherever the silver lives, the city is."A hush fell over the crowd; even the insects in the brush seemed to fall silent. The crew of the Barnacle shivered.The evening was soon over.

Villagers began to get up and go inside, retreating from the cold of the night. The bonfire died down to red and orange embers that glowed feebly against the blackness of the sea and the sky. Fitzwilliam gave Arabella his jacket, and she pulled it tightly aro
und her shoulders.
"'Wherever the silver lives, the city is," she murmured softly. "What do you think that means?"

"Perhaps it is a town near a silver mine," Fitzwilliam suggested. "Maybe 'living is just another way of saying 'being mined.'"

"That is so ... unpoetic," Jean objected. "Maybe it means that everyone who seeks it out has precious metal on the brain, like it's all they think about. So they all disappear, and wind up together in this lost City of Gold."

"And maybe," Jack interrupted, "it's just-- oh, and this one will be hard to believe, mates, I'm sure--far, far too compli
cated . . . Maybe it's a city, made of
old." His eyes grew wide and distant, imagining not just roads paved with gold, but buildings built of it, and statues. Even things like chairs and tables.

"
Remember what Mam said," Tumen
reminded them, noticing the glow in their eyes. "It is not to be sought out."But despite this warning, all of them-- even Tumen--grew drowsy and fell asleep on the white sands of the Yucatan, dreaming of a
golden town.

CHAPTER THREE

The sun had just begun to warm its way through the night's chill when the crew of the Barnacle was woken by a commotion.They opened their eyes to see the people of Tumen's village shouting and running-- mainly in their direction. One young man took the lead. He had a sharp nose and fierce black eyes, and something that looked suspiciously like a short spear in his
hand. Jack's eyes popped open.
"Oh, what now? Can I not have a moment's rest," Jack said.The boy with the spear was called Yaxun. Tumen frowned. The two boys had never gotten along, even in the best times."What has happened?" Tumen asked."You--you lead this filthy crew here-- especially that particularly filthy one with the rag on his head--and look what happened!" Yaxun shouted. "Or maybe it was you who stole the amulet. You dress like them now. You might as well be one of them!""Amulet? Not the Sun-and-Stars?" Tumen asked, hoping it wasn't true."Yes, the Sun-and-Stars amulet," an old woman said sorrowfully. "The same one the last of the Xitami entrusted to us before Cortes and his men wiped them out. We kept it safe for many years--since before my great-grandmother'
s mother. And now it is gone."

"And it disappears the same night you bring your friends here!" Yaxun said accusingly, pointing at the crew with his spear."There has been some mistake," Tumen protested. "Let me go speak with Mam."Yaxun sneered. "Oh, yes, go speak to him. You will not be happy with what you find. Or, perhaps, you will. Who can say?"

"Wait here. Do not move," Tumen told the crew."Wouldn't think of it, mate," Jack said, getting ready to take a step to run for the Barnacle. But he quickly checked himself, noticing that many of the men had begun to pull out their spears.Tumen raced over the sands to Mam's house. He was sure it was a mistake; Mam would help clear it up. . . . But when he got to his great-grandfather's hut, he could already tel
l something was wrong. Incense
poured out of the windows in clouds, and Chila squatted outside, shaking his head and scattering flower petals. When he looked up and saw Tumen, he just shook his head sadly."Mam is very sick. ... I believe it is something to do with the men you brought here.""No! It can't be!" Tumen forced his way in.

There, in the dark, curled up on a mat was his great-grandfather. Several villagers tended to him, with bowls of broth. They laid cool, wet cloths on his brow."He has a fever," Tumen's grandmother said. She narrowed her eyes at him and almost spat. "I think you should go."Tumen staggered back, stunned at the force of her anger. All of them--all of his family, who he had missed for so long and whom he was so overjoyed to finally see--all of them looked a
t him with hate in their eyes.
Yaxun was waiting for him outside, the crowd of armed men behind him."The council of elders has agreed," he said, sneering. "You are to be expelled from the village, never to return."