Diary of Legends
Chapter One
I grew up on the Caribbean coast. My mum owned a small inn, "The Swann". It was not a respectable in, it was old and dirty, but my mother was a well respected woman, in the sense that no one, EVER, told her what to do. She was both respected and feared, but as a child, I could never understand why.
The town was called Saint Michel. It was a small town, and a safe port for pirates and those who didn't wanted to be found. But one thing that I was always sure about, that no matter how dark the alley was or how dirty the bar was, no one would ever lay a hand on me or my mum.
My mum always told me stories. Stories of great men, about adventure and treasure. I would listen fascinated to her stories, and always wanting more when she was done. But there was one story that was my particular favorite, the story about The Pirate Queen and the pirates' victory over the trading companies. My mum told me about the Great Pirates council, who gathered to solve the problem of Davy Jones, a monstrous man who was more fish than man, and the trading companies' leader, the evil Lord Beckett. The Council decided to crown a Queen, to lead them in the war, and she led them to a glorious victory.
To me, Cutler Becket must have been a very evil man. Pirates had never done me anything wrong, and I couldn't for my life understand why he would want to exterminate them. I secretly dreamed to one day sail away, as a pirate.
-If the sea calls for you, then you better go my son, but you better come visit your old mum ever so often! She often told me. My usual response would be
-But then let me leave right away! I'll go to Tortuga and surely a ship there will take me aboard!
-When the time is right, I will let you go, that I promise you. But first you will meet your father, because there are certain things that only a father can teach his son. When I asked her when I would meet him she would just tell me that it would be soon. I was nine years and three months old when my father's ship was sighted at the horizon.
Chapter Two
It was late summer. I woke up and heard the birds outside of my window. I went down to the kitchen, where my mum was standing by the stove.
-Good Morning Johnny, come and get some breakfast!
My mother would always call me Johnny, even though my name was Jonathan. I suppose that is what mothers do. I went to the stove, took a bowl and some porridge. As I ate, my mother went around in the kitchen, doing thing, preparing meals, cleaning. And she sang the same song, over and over again.
-Nananana, Drink up me hearties, yo ho.
-Mum, why are so happy today?
-Today my son, today is the day you meet your father.
I couldn't believe it! I was going to meet my father for the first time. My mother would never tell me exactly why he had left us, but she had told me that never wanted to leave us.
-He owes his life to the sea, and that is a debt he will forever have to pay. My mum loved being cryptic, and it was something that really annoyed me.
Suddenly there was a noise. My mum had dropped a big vase, and stood staring out through the kitchen window.
-Mum? What's wrong?
-Your father's here.
I rushed out from the kitchen and out to the porch. At the horizon, a ship was barely visible. I stood on the high cliffs overlooking the ocean, staring at the ship. It was all so hard to belive. My mum laid a hand on my shoulder, smiling the biggest smile I've ever had seen on her. "Run along now darling" She said, and I ran at once.
I ran down to our small harbor, knowing that it would take several hours before the ship would reach us. But when I reached the harbor, there stood a man. I stared at him, I'll admit that. He looked as no pirate I had ever seen.
Chapter 3
There stood a man. I knew he was a pirate, it wasn't exactly subtle. He looked as men of the sea does, with his salty boots and messy hair which fluttered in the mild seabreeze. But there was nothing great about him. He looked haunted and dirty, like a drunk who wouldn't ever even be allowed to sleep under any innkeepers roof. This was not at all what I had expected my father too look like. I must admit, at that point I felt nothing but disappointment. My heart sank, and all of my dreams of spending my life on the same sea as my great father seemed grey and meaningless.
The man stood there. In the middle of the small dock, smiling. People started to wake to life around the area, having spotted the ship. Soon there would be work, as it is when a ship makes port. They would need supplies, the men would want drink and rest. But the man just stood there, smiling, as people went past him to look for the ship.
I then realized that this man couldn't have come with this ship. I hadn't seen a single dingy as I ran down the Cliffside, and the ship was still far from making port. This man was someone else entirely. I felt relieved, but ill at ease at the same time. The man hadn't let me out of his sight since I've gotten down to the docks. Then, suddenly, he seemed to shudder, and started to move gingerly, and somewhat irradically, towards the small pub, The Jolly Captain. I sighed. My imagination was just playing with me.
As I stood there, my mum hade come up behind me. She strode up behind me. My mum didn't just walk, she managed to make her transportation from one place to another seem as the most important thing for any person blessed enough to see it.
-Come Johnny, there is someone you need to meet. She said calmly.
-But mum, the ship wont make port for at least another hour at least!
-Ah, but the one I want you to meet right now wouldn't have come with that ship. Come one, let's go. She said, and started moving towards the Jolly Captain.
I was starting to get confused. Who could it be my mother wanted me to meet? That dirty old pirate? What could my mother want from him? Sure, pirates was nothing uncommon for me or my mum, they often visited the Inn, as my mum was known for not denying anyone a place to stay. As long as they could pay and didn't break any plates, that was. But why would that mangy old pirate be of such importance that I needed to meet him? No, it must be someone else at the pub, I convinced myself.
The Jolly Captain was dim and dirty. This was a sailors pub after all, and men of the sea did not often care all that much for hygiene. As we entered, the townsfolk and a couple of unfamiliar sailors nodded towards my mum. This was not uncommon either, since my mum was seen as a well respected woman in the village. But as we moved through the pub towards the dark stalls in the back, I noticed that it was more unfamiliar faces than normal subtly greeting my mum. And as I trailed behind my mum, I noticed that they all looked rather, well, piratey.
My mum perched herself down at a table in the corner. And to my horror, the dirty pirate moved up to her. I stood a bit from the table, looking at horror, as the old pirate stood there looking at my mum.
-Good day Mister Gibbs. I hope you are well?
-Oh my Miss Swann, it is a sight for sore eyes to look upon you again.
-I presume you anchored the ship up around the coast, and walked in to town this morning?
-That we did, we would never want to be in the way today. He was of course not that happy about having to walk into town, but you know him. He do not care for spending more time than necessary on land.
-He is what he is, that man. And Gibbs?
-Yes Miss Swann?
-It's been Mrs Turner for over ten years now, remember it.
-Sorry Miss Swa, erh, Mrs Turner.
As I eavesdropped, I became even more confused. Who was it they were talking about? My father? But then who was it coming in with the ship I had seen at the horizon?
-It's not polite to eavesdrop. That's the sort of thing pirates do mate.
I jumped. The voice had whispered right by my ear, and I hadn't even heard the man coming up behind me.
-Ah, there you are. Johnny, come over here! My mum said. She didn't shout, that was another thing my mum didn't do. She just got heard.
With my heart still rushing from the scare, I went over to my mums side and took a stool beside her. The dirty pirate she had been talking to was now sitting on another stool by the wall, stuffing an old pipe.
-Johnny, I would like to introduce you to someone. This, is Jack Sparrow. She said, gesturing towards the man who was the obvious owner of the voice which just had given me the scare of my life.
-It's Captain Jack Sparrow darling, remember?
Chapter 4
The man had a twinkle in his eye. The kind of twinkle you se in the eyes of a very desperate man, although his sly smile gave the impression that he was very satisfied with things at the moment. He had long dark hair, with beads knotted into it. His smiled glimted with gold, and he had several golden teeth. This was a real pirate, and I knew it. This was the kind of man my mum told me stories about.
-So this little bugger's yours, eh? I'm not surprised, he seems to have the same tendencies for trouble as a young woman I once knew. Pretty thing she was, shame what happened to her. The man said, the golden smile dancing on his lips.
Being absolutely mesmerized by the pirate in front of me, I spoke without thinking.
-What happened to her?
-Huh? What happened to who, little bugger? The man seemed confused, as if his mind had just gone on a vacation elsewhere, for a split second.
-The pretty lady? I was curious. I could se my mum smile beside me. She looked pleased with me, even though I had spoken out of term.
-Oh, her. She got married. He smiled and looked at my mum. She laughed.
-He's talking about me Johnny, believe it or not, I was actually quite the lady once upon a time.
-You still are mum! I said in protest, feeling a need to defend my mums honor, even though it was herself attacking it.
-She sure is. A real queen, as it were. Said the man called Sparrow, looking even more sly than before.
-What have you been up to lately Jack? Mum seemed to continue the conversation, but she didn't stop smiling for one second.
-Oh you know. Fought some royalty here, swimmed with a mermaid there. You know, piratestuff. But all this lovely banter aside, I believe he is here now. Shall we?
At first I didn't realize what he was talking about. All I could think of was all the bedtimestories mum used to tell me, about pirates and monstrous armies and beautiful women. Then I remembered, the ship!
-Let's go she said, suddenly looking very serious.
-Don't worry luv', he's done his duty, I've kept watch. In case you were worried about tentacles.
She gave him a look, and we left the pub together, the four of us. As we left, the man called Gibbs lit his pipe.
Chapter 5
At the horizon, the sun was setting. Soon the darkness would fall, but we still had a couple of hours of light. My mum put a hand on my shoulder, bending down on her knees to look me in the eyes.
-Johnny, it's time you met your father. But, I would like you to stand back here with Captain Sparrow and Mr Gibbs for a little while first, until I tell you to come forward, okey? She seemed serious, but I had problem concentrating on her words. I could see a dingy in the water.
-Jonathan, do you understand? I woke up, she had used my full name.
-I understand mum. I said, dutifully.
She smiled, and then she started moving towards the edge of the docks. The people who had been standing everywhere before were now scarce, although I could see a lot of them sculking around the edges of the houses and looking out from windows and doors.
The dingy was now just by the docks, and I could see a man in it. He was standing up, looking eager. There was another man rowing, but I could not get a good look of either of them, as they came up beside the dock.
The man left the dingy and suddenly my mum and the man ran towards each other, my mum losing all her grace, throwing herself into this mans arms. I understood that this man must be my father, and I wanted nothing but to run there and meet him, to see him. But as the thought of running over there came into my mind, a hand softly fell on my shoulder.
-Easy laddie, give them some time. Captain Sparrow was smiling. He seemed very pleased, but I couldn't imagine why.
As my mum and what I by this point was certain was my father stood there, close in each others arm, the other man got out of the dingy, tying it up to the dock. He looked at my direction, and seemed to be smiling, even if it was hard to tell. Then, my mum turned around, and waved at me.
Captain Sparrow gave me a slight push on my shoulder, and we started walking over there. Suddenly, I couldn't stop myself, and started running. I ran as fast as I could towards them. As I was just by them, I stopped staring at my father.
-Darling, this, is Jonathan. Johnny, this is your father, William Turner, Captain of the Flying Dutchman.
I stared directly at him. His hair was long and dark, his beard thin and well groomed. He looked as the complete opposite of Captain Sparrow. He seemed clean and proud, the sort of man who stood in the light, guiding others to safety. Captain Sparrow on the other hand gave me the impression that he would rather find his own way through the shadows, than ever stepping into the light.
My father stared directly back at me, a small smile on his lips. His shirt was clean, but loosely fitted, and it fluttered slightly in the wind. I could see a large scar on his chest, big, thick and white. It looked horrible, the sort of scare that shouldn't exist, since it was the sort of wound that ought to kill you.
Suddenly, he moved. He took two fast step forward, and threw me up into his arms. He was both crying and laughing, but I was not scared nor worried. I felt safe in his arms, as If nothing could hurt me as long as I was there. My mum was crying.
My father held me at arms length, looking me in the eyes.
-You look just like your mother, he said, smiling.
As we stood there, people came out of the pub and alleys.
-Let's go up to the Swan, my mother said. She took my fathers arm, and they started moving towards the small path leading up the Cliffside to the inn. As the moved, the people at their sides nodded, and fell in behind them. Captain Sparrow and Mr Gibbs walked a bit behind, and I ran along side the strange train of people, trying to get a good look at everyone.
As I ran there, I realized that I couldn't see the man who had rowed the dingy with my father into shore. I was certain that he had not been standing on the docks when we left, but he was not with us. I was very intrigued by this, and I became even more intrigued when we came up to the inn.
Standing outside the inns door, was the man. He had long, thin hair, watery eyes and a very small smile. He looked like he had stared death straight into it's face, and stumbled out on the other side.
-Ah, Jonathan, there's someone I haven't introduced you to yet, my father said, coming up beside me, as I stood there, staring at the man. I could not understand how he had gotten there before us. I knew all the passageways and shortcuts on the Cliffside, but there was no way he could have gotten there that fast.
-This, Jonathan, is your grandfather, William "Bootstrap Bill" Turner.
Chapter 6