Author's note: Here's a little one-shot I came up with, since I'm in quite the writing mood. Its probably not my best work, but I felt the need to tell Asher's story, too, what little I had in mind. This story is set right as Barbossa is beginning to feel the effects of the curse, and before Jack makes it back to Tortuga after being marooned. Barbossa and the Pearl belong to the mouse.
Seven-year-old Asher Barbossa was so excited. Papa was home! Mother had spotted the black sails of the Black Pearl that morning, so he knew he would be home soon. Just like he'd expected, he soon heard the sound of his father's boots. The door burst open and Hector Barbossa strode through the door. Smiling, he swung his son into the air and kissed his wife. "Well, family o' mine, welcome home the new captain o' th' Pearl!"
Margaret squealed. "Captain!" She jumped to hang from her husband's neck. She looked back at her son. "Asher, sweetheart, set the table. We're having a special dinner tonight!"
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Asher sat at his father's feet later that evening, spinning the coin he'd brought him and listening to the stories he told. "And best of all, me boy, seein' as I'm captain now, you'll be comin' aboard as cabin boy when we pull out again."
"Really, Papa? I get to go sail with you?"
Hector tousled his son's blonde curls. "Yes, really. Now go, yer mother wants t' put you t' bed." Asher jumped up to comply, excited by the news that he'd be sailing on his father's ship.
Margaret tucked her boy in, and went to join her husband. He smiled and settled her into his lap. "Ah, Maggie, I've missed ye." She giggled.
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Asher heard his parents slip by his room, and tried to pretend to be asleep. It was a tiny house, with thin walls, so he knew what was going to happen next. He tried to ignore. Things were relatively quiet for a little while, but then he heard his father yelling.
"What's wrong with you, woman?!"
Then Maragaret's high pitched whine. "Hector, what are you talking about? What's wrong?"
Hector roared. "Get out! Get out of my bloody house!"
Margaret went running through the house, crying as she gathered up a few things and went out the door. Asher came to the door of his room, running after his mother. "Mama? What's wrong? Mama?" She paid him no attention.
Turning back, he saw his father shrugging on his coat and walking for the door. Asher trotted after him. "Papa? Where are you going?"
Without looking back, he answered gruffly. "Back to the ship."
"Am I going with you, Papa? Am I still going to be your cabin boy?"
"No. Now go back to the house."
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It had been two days. Neither of his parents had returned. Asher was scared and hungry, so he decided to go down to the docks. Maybe he'd find his parents there, or at least something to eat.
The Black Pearl wasn't anywhere to be seen, and no one had seen a trace of Maggie Barbossa, so all that was left to little Asher was to find food. Trouble was, the only money he had was the gold coin his father had given him. He glanced around, looking for some unattended scraps, when he caught sight of a loaf of bread just sitting on top of a barrel. He scanned his surroundings quickly, then snatched the bread and began to run away.
His flight was arrested by a hand on his collar. "And what do you think you're doing, boy?"
Asher gulped and looked up to face a tall man with a black beard and a grizzled face. By the look of his clothing, he was probably the captain of his own vessel. "I...I was hungry, sir."
"So you decided to take my lunch?" Asher hung his head. The captain's expression softened a bit. "How would you like to work for that bit of food, and some more besides?"
The boy's face brightened. "Oh, yes sir! I can do anything you could set me to!"
The captain put a hand on Asher's shoulder. "I could use a cabin boy… Are you willing to go to sea?" Asher nodded solemnly. Something told him his parents weren't coming back. "Well then, I'll need your name, boy."
"Asher, sir."
"Asher what?"
He fingered the coin in his pocket, then covertly tossed it aside. "Just Asher, sir."