Disclaimers: I don't own anything, all belongs to Disney! What can I say; I just can't stay mad at Mickey. :)))

Summary: AU, ElizabethxJack. Elizabeth Swann dreams of freedom. Captain Jack Sparrow dreams of discovering one of the most sought after treasures of all time. Only catch is, they'll have to fall in love first.

Rating: Teen, but may be subject to change in later chapters.

A/N: According to my Latin dictionary, 'Insumo' means: to get one's wish, to obtain one's desire, etc. This story takes place after 'Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl'. I'll not be adding any spoilers with regards to the new sequel, because for the purpose of my story it won't happen. (If you haven't seen it yet though, it's really entertaining!) After getting home from the 12 am showing last night I just had to begin this story-- I hope you enjoy it. Please R&R!

Insumo: The Secret Heart

By: Adrianna

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And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.

- Genesis

In one day and one fatal night, there came mighty earthquakes and inundations that engulfed the warlike people...

- Plato

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Prologue: Dark Man of the Sea

A golden sun bathed the Adriatic coast in warmth, catching the crystal clear blue waves and setting them on fire.

An old woman, her face cragged like the weather beaten rocks she stood upon closed her eyes, letting the ocean's energies wash over her. Soon its secrets would pound against the rocks, leaving scattered fragments of truths and messages...messages from those souls the sea had claimed for its own. A warm wind whipped about her face, causing the shawl she wore to billow around her bony shoulders. The old woman closed her eyes, and listened. Through the rush of wind and water, she heard the first rippling of whispered voices reach her experienced ears.

We are here, humble one...

She then raised her voice, singing the ancient words that would solidify her hold on the elusive underwater world.

You, who have traveled far to reach us, we shall grant you one answer. Chose your question well...

The old woman turned from the shining waves to face her foreign companion and awaited his response. The man couldn't help but shiver slightly at her wild appearance, the spirits now contained within her frail body giving her features an eerie awareness. He pulled himself to his full height. This was his one chance, and although a plethora of questions that had plagued him since youth abounded, only one made it past his lips. "I wish to know how to reach the city of Thêsea...if you please."

The old woman seemed to shiver, as if her skin were made of water itself. It took a moment before the man recognized the hollow sound she was emitting was laughter.

Interesting.

He hadn't thought ancient spirits had much of a sense of humor.

The city of Thêsea...it is forbidden, mortal. It is the one answer we cannot give...

The man held up a tentative hand. "I thought you might say that. Which is why I brought this..." reaching into his coat, he withdrew from an inside pocket what looked like a small, round box. Instantly, the old woman began to tremble violently, the spirits within her stirring with vigor. The man smiled, his expression like that of a cat who has just lapped up a bowl of cream. "Had a feeling you might be interested. Now...an exchange, then? You give me the answer I seek, and I shall deliver this..." and he held up the small box meaningfully, "...to you."

The old woman's eyes, the color of the palest sea water fixed on the man with the utmost intensity-- making him waver slightly as he held up his bargaining tool. He felt his body begin to grow cold, as if an unknown force were rushing through his muscles-- through his very veins.

You are a man of many faces. You seek only what is beneficial to yourself-- yet your heart beats in time with our mother, our protector...we sense the sea in your very soul...

The man's gaze suddenly became sharp, inscrutable.

"Then I shall pledge something of mine to you. Should you accept my offer, you give me the answer and I swear I will deliver this." He held up the box again. The spirits shimmered, thin blue wisps of color rising to the surface of the old woman's pale skin.

And what is it you would offer us to ensure your loyalty...?

"My soul." The man answered without the slightest trace of hesitation.

The old woman suddenly stepped towards him, her calloused fingers reaching out with startling speed. The man had no time to duck from her searching fingers as they caught his face and drew it down towards her.

We accept your offer, reckless mortal...but heed our warning: the answer we will give you shall not be harnessed without trial. Only when you decipher our words within your heart will you possess the way to the city of Thêsea...and to do so you must garner the aid of she who knows the secrets of your heart...

The man felt tension build within his temples, and as he tried to draw back he saw the old woman's eyes grow wide with urgency.

She lies in the gilded cage of her ancestors. Free her, and you shall find us...

The old woman's voice echoed within the man's head, the pressure of her hands on his skin too painful to bear. He cried out, just as the waves crashed against the shore below and the spirits retreated intotheir protective arms. The old woman slipped to the ground, empty of the energy which had allowed her to channel the ancient voices. She gasped for breath, her very bones shaking with the effort. Though weak, she raised her head to demand the promised payment for the use of her services. After all, she was only able to provide them once every twenty-years. Yet as she tried to gather what little strength she still possessed, she felt a new demon wash over her. The man was gone.

Even in her native Greek tongue, her rage translated into a widely known and familiar curse.

Bloody pirates.

TBC...!

A/N: Let me know what you thought! I'll be posting more chapters soon. Merci!